Chronicles of a Rah I: The Ghost Rabbit
by Shinwolf
Summary: The burdens of Chiefhood has been passed far too early on the shoulders of a young buck, but when he loses it, he loses himself, and getting up when you've failed is always the hardest thing to do... (REVISED)
1. Forest Laws

_To Kiche, Riley, Hoshi, and Shin, to Reginald and Francis..._

Who oversaw me step over the threshold of childhood.

**Chronicles of a Rah Book I: The Ghost Rabbit**

**PART 1: FOREST**

**1 – Forest Laws **

It was late night. The moon was shining brightly above, its light making the stars look dim. The murky waters of a stream reflected this light, and the dark area it was in was suddenly bathed in the moonshine. 

Peaceful. The atmosphere, if not eerie, was definitely peaceful, and not a single sound could be heard as the hours drove by, the stars twinkling overhead. 

Then there was a rustle, which sent hordes of mice, in a late night expedition, scrambling towards the direction of their burrows. The bushes parted and several rabbits appeared. 

One of them hopped forward, looking at the deep stream curiously. He was a huge rabbit, to be sure, and even in the dark, it was obvious that his fur color was of a dark brown, almost black, and this contrasted well against his white chest, which almost all rabbits have. He was old, around five years old, and it was true that very few rabbits ever reach this age. But he looked like he could take care of himself. His gait lacked any apprehension whatsoever as he bent down on a small heap, half submerged in the stream. 

He licked his lips, half the hair on his back bristling. One of the rabbits approached him and asked, "What is it, Primrose-rah?" 

Primrose shook his head. "He drowned himself." 

"Oak-rah?" the rabbit asked, perplexed. He looked at the dead body and shrugged. "Why?" 

"White Blindness," Primrose answered, shaking his head once more. He didn't care much for Oak, his son, for most rabbits generally had no fatherly love for their children. But nevertheless, he was devastated. The two-year-old Oak was his heir, and at his age, he should already have a capable one. He could die any time soon and he wasn't about to leave the position as Chief open for fighters that never knew the difference between biting and leading. 

He sighed, turning around and hopping away. The Owsla rabbits looked at each other and shrugged. One by one, they turned to follow him, without bothering to look at Oak as they would have if he had died of other causes, since they might get infected with the Blindness if they did so. 

Only the Owsla that talked to Primrose remained. He was inspecting Oak's body, never mind the fear of the disease itself. He strongly wasn't sure that Oak could disappear and just drown himself like that. He knew the rabbit all too well. 

He turned the body to the side, and swallowed a lump in his throat. 

Oak's throat was slashed open. 

*** 

"Elil, that's what," Primrose grunted heavily as they strode through the thick woods quietly.

The Owsla shrugged. "But sir," he blurted out. Then he paused, looking at the bigger rabbit, suddenly realizing how bad Primrose could get if he gets mad. 

"Listen to me, Rowan," Primrose snarled, his ears laid flat against his head in a sudden surge of impatience. "You bring an _embleer_ hutch doe to my warren, pregnant no less, and I allow you to keep her. Now you're getting on my nerves again as you say that Oak had a slash on him? Are you saying he was killed?" 

"No sir…" Rowan muttered, wiping his nose with a paw apologetically. 

Primrose looked at the rabbit and gave a deep, angry sigh. He was particularly mad now that Rowan was saying Oak could have been killed while he had the White Blindness. Oak was dead…and to have been killed made things even worse. "You know _elil_," he said, hopping forward. "They slash even dead things apart." He did not know that Oak's slash was on his throat. If he had, he would have changed his scheme of thinking. 

But Rowan did not bother to tell him. He was already trembling with fear, for an angry Primrose was a Primrose he couldn't deal with. He nodded his head, muttering a silent, "Sorry," and when Primrose had turned away from him, was immensely glad. He could still live to see tomorrow. 

The woods abruptly ended, and they entered an open field. Actually, the 'field' was just a huge clearing, with plenty of grass, and rabbit holes here and there. Along the edges were trees that showed the place was located deep inside the forest. 

Forest was just an ordinary warren, to be sure, not very small, and not very large, either. It didn't live under the constant threat of predators, but neither was it completely safe from them, with the fact that the Owsla expected around five _elil_ to harass them every month. All in all, it was a good place to live, and Primrose was quite proud of the place. 

Except of course now, that he had lost his only heir, he had to take measures to save it once he's gone. He hated the way things have turned out. The fact was that Oak was his only son. All his littermates have been killed in the customary way that they were, being his first litter. 

It was a traditional thing. Whenever a Chief had a first litter, all, except one chosen male rabbit, would be killed, and this was sorely done to prevent rivalry, which had happened generations before, in the past, with their ancestors. 

Thus Oak had been the 'chosen one', and so his littermates, male and female alike, had been destroyed. But now Oak was gone… 

It made things worse that Primrose's other children were dead as well. He didn't kill them, or have them killed. Half died after an _elil_ attack came upon the warren a couple of seasons back, during the autumn, something which left their mothers utterly devastated, but he didn't care much. They were rabbits, and it was a rabbit's destiny to live and die, and he accepted the fact very well. The rest of his children had been killed by another _elil_, a weasel, in a sudden quirk of fate. 

And now he wished that at least one of them had survived. Then again, he realized it wouldn't be of much use even if one did. Every heir in his warren were to be trained in battle and leadership, so that they wouldn't be ignorant Chiefs, superior in every way to plenty of others. 

He sighed, contemplating the disaster. It was such a huge irony. 

Suddenly, he saw rabbit running towards him, looking particularly distraught. _What now? _He sat down, looking at the panting buck, bored yet interested at the same time, if such a thing could ever be possible. 

"Sir…" the buck stammered. "It's…that…that…" 

"What?" he asked. 

"It's that…" 

He rolled his eyes, striking the soft grass with his paw. "Blurt it out, mate! What the heck's wrong?" 

"That…that…_marli_…Elil-hain…" the runner said, trembling. Primrose stared at him, thinking. Maybe he should get a better runner. Perhaps one that could bring a message faster than this one could. He grunted impatiently. 

"She…gave…" the runner continued. Primrose's mouth started foaming in impatience, and he realized he didn't need to wait for the runner to finish. He cuffed the rabbit soundly against the head, then headed towards the nearest rabbit hole. 

He followed the long runs, and did so for quite some time. Rabbits warrens are extremely large, even in medium-sized warrens like this one, and the fact that the doe's burrow was in the deeper parts didn't help him one bit. 

It been almost a solid hour of walking, after he got lost in some part that had been newly dug. Got to warn rabbits to warn _him_ about digging new runs. He turned, and finally sat down, panting, outside a burrow. 

"You in there?" he asked in a harsh voice. 

"Yes sir," the doe inside told him meekly. 

"Yarrow told me there was something about you, " Primrose said. "And I didn't wait for him to finish. You know how long that takes." 

He sniffed the air, even before she said anything, and realized what it was. Kittens. By Frith! He gave a tiny smile, which quickly faded as he said, "No, don't bother. I know." He sighed. "But I have some news for you. Oak's…gone." 

"Yes, I understand," the doe said. She licked the kittens, her face distraught. 

"Four bucks, are they?" Primrose asked after sniffing the air again. 

"Yes sir," Elil-hain answered. 

"You know what it was to be done to every Rah's first litter," Primrose told her coldly. 

"Must it…be done?" Elil-hain asked him in a pleading voice. 

Primrose shook his head. "It had been a law for many generations. You were not the first doe to see this done. Leave." 

The doe nuzzled the kittens, then left the burrow. She stood outside the run as she watched Primrose enter, sniffing the kittens. 

"What's wrong, Primrose-rah?" a rabbit asked. 

A buck appeared in the run. He had a wide grin plastered on his face and peeked inside the burrow, where Primrose was looking at the four kittens curled up against each other. "Oh, kittens!" the buck yelped, making Primrose glare at him. "You still haven't chosen yet?" the buck asked. "Do it like Rowan does when he finds several patches of clover. Clover, clover, which is better…" 

Primrose glared at him some more. "Witchhazel, get out of here before I cuff you repeatedly." 

Witchhazel shrugged. "Sorreee, I was just trying to help." He took his head out of the burrow and smiled at Elil-hain. "Don't worry, you'll still get to keep one," he said, trying his best to sympathize with her. 

"You don't get it, do you?" Elil-hain asked him gently. 

He shook his head. "I'm not a _ marli_, you know." 

"Fine, Witchhazel!" Primrose suddenly yelled from inside. "Get two of these out of here. They look like runts. The other one's got a lame hind leg. And he's got spots. Must be Sedge's blood. Get him out as well." 

"How do you know he's lame?" Witchhazel asked as he went inside. 

"He drags it around while crawling," Primrose said, growling at Witchhazel. "Obviously." 

"Wait, Primrose-rah, I can't carry all three of them," Witchhazel told him. 

"Then use some LOGIC! Get someone to help you!" Primrose yelled, apparently losing control already. 

"Okay, okay, your highness," Witchhazel said in a mellow but humorous tone. He wasn't very afraid of Primrose. He leapt out of the burrow and went across the run to get someone to help him. 

*** 

It was dawn when two rabbits appeared near the edge of the wood. Witchhazel dropped the two kittens in his mouth and sighed. They were both stiff and dead, apparently from the long travel. He shrugged and looked over at his companion. "Drop the lad now Pinecone. Let's get home to _silflay_. I'd want to go to that place over the stream but that's where Oak-rah died and the White Blindness makes me queasy." He hopped away.

Pinecone glared at Witchhazel before he gently dropped the kitten he was holding in his mouth. Then, he stared at it. It was still moving, squirming in fact, and looked incredibly healthy. 

He suddenly picked the kitten up again and headed off.


	2. The LopEared Owsla

**2 – The Lop-Eared Owsla **

Primrose was chewing on some _ flayrah_. His rabbits always brought a huge number of _flayrah_ to the warren, with a farm just sunset of them, near the edge of the wood. He didn't particularly indulge himself in them, and had in fact let the rabbits carry the _flayrah_ to their own families if they want to, but they made a nice meal every now and then. 

A rabbit appeared outside his burrow and he abandoned his _flayrah_ to meet him. As he expected, it was Yarrow, with nose twitching rapidly and big wide eyes. "Sir…" Yarrow stammered. 

"Yes?" Primrose asked, giving a deep sigh. _I really should kick this rabbit out of his job. He gets the job done in twice the time an amateur would… _

"Captain…Dog's-Tail…wants…wants…" Yarrow said, gulping. He shivered.

"Wants what?" Primrose muttered, very annoyed. 

"To…talk…to talk…with you…" Yarrow said. Primrose wasn't sure whether he had finished his sentence or not, so to be on the safe side, he waited. 

And sure enough, Yarrow continued. "…cause'…a fight…with kittens…and…and…he said…he thought…you'd want…to…" 

Before Yarrow could finish what he was saying, Primrose had already leaped over him to make his way to outside. He crouched there, dumbfounded, before shrugging to go about his usual business. 

*** 

When Primrose stepped out of his burrow, he saw two kittens fighting, exactly as Yarrow had said. They were rolling around the ground, biting and clawing and yelling curses that Primrose decided they had learned from some Owsla. Stupid foul-mouthed officers. Some day he ought to make a rule about them watching what they say around kittens.

He stepped towards a rabbit, who was sitting in a corner, watching the fight with interest. The buck was a young one, almost a year old, and looked particularly like most rabbits, except he had a strange white blaze across his head. He also had a white muzzle, connected to the blaze itself. He was fairly hefty, and had a very cheerful look on his face. Very different in contrast to Primrose's. 

"What's the matter here?" Primrose asked. He looked at the screaming kittens, and suddenly yelled, "Hey! Stop that before I cuff you and that won't be very pleasant, I tell you!" 

The kittens stopped fighting at this, and broke up to go to their respective mothers, wounded and bruised, but bristling ferociously. 

"So, what's this about the fight?" Primrose asked, turning to the smiling rabbit. "Captain Dog's-Tail?" 

The Captain of the Owsla turned at him and said in a mellow voice, "It's that kitten. He's from Eyebright's litter." 

Primrose thought about this. Eyebright was the hutch doe, an English Lop-eared Rabbit that had escaped from the farm near their warren. Rowan had found the already-pregnant doe wandering near the edge of the woods and had decided to bring her back to the warren. Primrose had wanted to send her away, but he decided not to. His own favorite doe, who had long stopped running and was Oak's mother, had been a hutch rabbit herself, and perhaps it was the way he wanted to honor her memory. 

But he didn't thought that he'd hear from the hutch rabbit again. He'd particularly thought that the doe would settle in the warren, and be one of those rabbits he'd never hear from again because of his very busy lifestyle. So he was genuinely surprised at this. "And what about him?" he asked, curious. 

Dog's-Tail smiled again, finally catching Primrose's attention. It was a pretty tough job doing so, with Primrose's quick impatience and all. "See that other kitten he was beating?" 

"Beating? I didn't see him beating anything," Primrose muttered. 

"You didn't even know who was who, so listen to me first," Dog's-Tail said patiently. "Now, that other kitten was one of your officer's sons, Avens. Remember him?" 

"Yes." 

"That kitten is also a great fighter. I've been watching them…" 

Primrose eyed him suspiciously. "So you've been watching kitten scuffles instead of doing your job." 

"No!" Dog's-Tail cried. Then, he sat down and grinned at Primrose, his teeth showing. "I _am_ doing my job, don't you see? If you look at the kittens some of them has pure talent. Especially that one kitten I was talking to you about. Eyebright's son." He scratched his neck with a hind leg. "I was thinking of training him as an Owsla." 

"And why do you need me about such things?" Primrose mused. 

"Well, I wanted to ask you if I could do it at his age." 

"He's too young," Primrose blurted out. 

"Yes, that's why," Dog's-Tail said. He shrugged. "If I didn't ask for your permission someone is bound to notice me training a kitten and would think I was devising some sort of ingenious plan to take over the warren." He grinned at Primrose evilly. "Of course, I wouldn't do that, would I?" 

Primrose groaned. "Fine, but I don't think you're right. You're probably just wasting your time with him." 

"You're training Nightshade, aren't you?" Dog's-Tail broke in. 

Primrose shrugged. "Why?" 

"Well, I think that if you think I'll be wasting my time, then you'll be with him too." 

*** 

Dog's-Tail approached the kitten. The young buck was a strange color for a rabbit…cream, with very long ears that drooped nearly to his feet. He was batting a littermate with his paws, but wasn't particularly succeeding in making the kitten fight back. The other kitten looked very frail, compared to him.

"Hullo, Eyebright," Dog's-Tail greeted cheerfully. He sat down in front of the doe. 

"Good day to you to, Captain," Eyebright told him. Newcomer to this warren as she was, Eyebright knew the Captain when she saw the buck, and wasn't about to act impolite in front of him. 

"So, that was you, huh?" Dog's-Tail asked, peering over at the kitten, who was looking at him curiously. He smiled. "Your name, kit?" 

"Coltsfoot," the kitten answered. He hopped nearer to Dog's-Tail. After sniffing the air a bit, he asked, boldly, "Are you the Captain of the Owsla?" 

"I am," Dog's-Tail told him, smiling at the kitten warmly. 

"Cool!" Coltsfoot said. He looked at his littermate and said, "Hear that, Blackberry? It's the Captain of the Owsla!" 

"Uh huh," his littermate answered with waning interest. The kitten yawned, then curled up against her mother's belly. 

"You might be one some day too," Dog's-Tail told him. 

"Really?" Coltsfoot asked. He stood up on his hind legs to look at Dog's-Tail in the eye. 

"Yes," Dog's-Tail said. He patted Coltsfoot's head with a paw, then turned to look at Eyebright. "So how about it, lass? I'll be training this son of yours for the Owsla. I've been watching him get into fights for a few weeks now and he's immensely good for his age, if you ask me." 

"Oh, I don't think…" Eyebright started. She shook her head. "If that is what you all wish. He gets into trouble a lot, though. I am so sorry." 

"Don't worry about it!" Dog's-Tail chuckled. He grinned at the very excited Coltsfoot. Being in the Owsla was many a kitten's wish, but to be approached by the Captain himself and asked whether you could be trained! It was a dream so farfetched, he never even thought about dreaming about it! 

Dog's-Tail looked at Coltsfoot again, and noticed his ears. He sighed. Now here was a problem. If he had to train Coltsfoot, he wasn't about to let the rabbit run around with ears that could trip him, and ears that very well could get in the way of a fight. He had to ask Primrose about this. 

He nodded and told them he'd be back while he set off after Primrose. 

He found the old rabbit in his burrow. Primrose wasn't very pleased with being annoyed again…heck, he had already been, _hrair_ times, during the day…a doe scuffle that went too far, a rabbit he got trapped in a fallen branch near the woods, and plenty more he could not remember. After Dog's-Tail telling him he had been meaning to train the young kitten, he was hoping he'd get some peace for a couple of minutes, at most. Or was that piece? With all the troubles he had, he couldn't quite remember. 

"What now?" he asked, glaring at the smiling Captain as best as he could. 

Dog's-Tail shrugged. "It's that kitten…" 

"Again? What now? You learned he could fly?" Primrose asked, sarcastically. 

"No," Dog's-Tail said firmly. "It's different. He's got these ears…" 

"Those ears?" Primrose looked at Dog's-Tail and rubbed his nose thoughtfully. "You mean those ears? Eyebright's got those long ears…so the kitten has them too?" 

"Yes," Dog's-Tail answered, scratching his head with his left hind leg. "How does he become an Owsla when he's got those long ears?" 

Primrose yawned, his big, yellow teeth exposed for a flash. Then, he rubbed his neck thoughtfully with a front paw. "Well," he said, pausing for an instant as he thought about it. "You can cut them." 

Dog's-Tail choked. "What?" he yelled, in surprise. "Cut them? You mean, bite through them?" 

"Yes," Primrose answered, pawing at a _flayrah_ beside him. He dragged the orange root in front of him and chewed down on it. 

"But…" Dog's-Tail stammered, confused. "You're kidding, aren't you?" 

"Have I ever?" Primrose asked him nonchalantly. 

Dog's-Tail shrugged and hopped out of the burrow, scratching his neck furiously. "Well, I'll ask him if he does, but don't think he'll even except. What rabbit would want to have their ears cut? By Frith!" 

"Well, if you're going to do that, at least get Fritillary," Primrose called to him. "Witchhazel always said something about him keeping his teeth sharper than he should." Or were they claws? He really couldn't remember. Darn memory failing him again. 

Dog's-Tail shrugged and left, his head reeling with confusion. 

*** 

The Captain spent several hours searching for the kitten underground. His mother had no idea where he had gone off to, and he, on the other hand, had no idea on how a kitten as little as Coltsfoot was could just disappear like that. 

But finally, he tracked down Avens, who said that a few of the kittens were in Thistle's big burrow. Thistle was one of the oldest rabbits in the warren, though not as old as Primrose was. He wasn't in the Owsla, and was just an ordinary civilian, but he was a renowned storyteller. Not only could he tell folktales with surprising ease and description, he could also recite Forest's histories, although such stories were not very popular among the youngsters. 

Dog's-Tail knew Thistle quite well, and the two once told a story together in such a fashion that every single rabbit in the warren had come out _silf_ to listen, and even Primrose had enjoyed it. So he reached the old rabbit's burrow quickly, and stood outside the burrow, his head peeking in. 

He sniffed, and squinted to get a better view. There, in the big burrow, crouched Thistle. He was a lean rabbit, with a friendly air about him. Plenty of kittens were crowded around him, all looking up at him eagerly as he began to tell a story. 

Thistle hadn't spoken yet when he saw Dog's-Tail. "Good day to you, Captain Dog's-Tail," he greeted, smiling. "You usually tell stories to the Owsla. What brings you to my humble abode?" 

"I need to speak to a kitten here," Dog's-Tail said. He scratched his neck. "But I think you can finish this one story first. I see you haven't started yet." 

Thistle smiled. "Then you may stay and listen, Captain." He gave a toothy grin to the kittens before he began. 

Chapter Within a Chapter – Elahrairah's Bargain With Frith 

Thistle scratched his head, looking at the bright eyes of the kittens around him, and thought of a story that the little minds would immensely enjoy. He grinned again, before he began.

"Elahrairah had his warren. We all know that his warren was huge, very big, bigger than ours and bigger than any other warren we know of. However, it did not start out that way. No, you see, in the past, Elahrairah's warren was small, very small."

He smiled at a kitten in front of him, who had a questioning look in her young face. "Do you know why, Harebell?"

Harebell shook her head. She wanted to speak, but somehow, Thistle's story had enthralled her in such a way that she could not speak, only think, and when Thistle realized this, he smiled again and continued.

"This is why. His kittens. Elahrairah had plenty of does, and we all know that, don't we? Yes, he has plenty of does, and from them, he had plenty of kittens. Sleek, beautiful kittens, much like you." He suddenly shook his head. "But far from you, little ones. Very far, for you see? In that time, rabbits weren't born as young kittens like you are. They were born as adult rabbits."

"And what's the problem with that?" one kitten suddenly yelled out, from behind the group.

Thistle shrugged. "I will explain as we go on, dear one. It was a good idea, at first. When his kittens were born, they could go out and Elahrairah and the does didn't need worry about looking after them. They could readily protect the warren, get _flayrah_, and do all the things adult rabbits could do, almost as soon as they were born. But as I said, there was a problem.'

'For you see, when his kittens were born, they did not know much about life. Plenty ran away only after some time, and in that way, plenty were snatched by _elil_. They did not know how to dodge _elil_, and Elahrairah could have readily taught them, but they would not listen, because they're adults already, see?"

He looked at the kittens, noticing that they were silent. So he continued. "Elahrairah was very sad. Very sad, I'm afraid, because plenty of them were getting killed, so his warren remained small and did not multiply in numbers. He got worried, very worried, until his fur became white.'

'One day, he thought that this could not go on any longer. So he looked up in the sky, in the daylight, and called out to Frith to come, and listen to him.'

'At first there was nothing. No one answered, and Elahrairah, who wanted so much to solve this problem of his, called out to Frith again. And yet there was no answer. He was getting very upset now, and for a third and final time, he cried, 'Frith, hear my plea!''

'And then, the sky became bright as Frith heard Elahrairah call to Him. He came, and asked Elahrairah what the matter was.'

''Dear Frith,' Elahrairah said, in a weary, pleading voice. 'Something troubles me.'

''And what troubles you, Elahrairah?' Frith asked.'

''It's the kittens,' Elahrairah had answered. He was very sad, indeed. 'They run away as soon as they are born, that I cannot teach them anything, because they would not listen. They are adults, in mind and body, but they are not old. Yet they seem to think they can take care of themselves. Elil kill them, Lord Frith! And my warren is small because of this!' he cried.'

''And what do you propose, Elahrairah?''

''I ask for a bargain, Lord Frith! A bargain that would save my warren and my kittens!'

''What would this bargain be?' Frith had asked.'

''Let the kittens be born,' Elahrairah told him. 'Small, and weak, and helpless. Let them not have sight, so that they would respect what they see when they get it. Let them not be able to run, or jump, or walk, so that they could stay in their burrows until they learn how to listen and respect us. Let them be born naked, without the protection of fur, so that they would not go above ground where _elil_ can take them. Until they learn, Lord Frith, until they learn the things they need to know in order to live.''

''And in exchange for this bargain, Elahrairah?' Lord Frith asked. 'What would it be?''

''Lord Frith, in exchange for this, we, the kittens' parents, would raise them, teach them everything they are to know, and give them love far beyond that which anyone is capable of giving them.''

'Frith was pleased. He fulfilled Elahrairah's wishes, and to this day…" He paused and looked at the kittens. "Kittens are born weak, and blind, and naked, and helpless, and they grow up slowly so that they would learn without rebellion."

**Back to Chapter 2 **

The kittens smiled at the story, and began to ask for more, but Thistle didn't start yet. He turned to Dog's-Tail and said, "Captain Dog's-Tail, might you take the kitten now? I'm afraid I have delayed you longer than I had wished to."

Dog's-Tail shook his head. "No, and it is a wonderful story, Thistle. They might actually learn why they have to listen to their mothers and fathers," he added, jokingly.

They both chuckled, much to the kittens' confusion. "Fine!" Dog's-Tail called. "Coltsfoot, I wish to talk to you."

"Oh, cool!" a voice called out. A kitten hopped out of the burrow, looking very eager. Coltsfoot jumped around Dog's-Tail's legs as the big buck smiled down at him.

The two walked out of the adjoining run, and only after a few minutes, got above ground. There, Dog's-Tail sat down and cleaned his face quickly, before setting his paws down on the ground and looking at Coltsfoot straight in the eye.

"What I ask of you, Coltsfoot-roo, is quite difficult," he said. "I told you I'd be training you to join the Owsla, did not I?"

"Yes sir!" Coltsfoot told him enthusiastically.

"Well, the problem are your ears." Dog's-Tail looked at the droopy ears set neatly on each side of Coltsfoot's head, and sighed. "They'll get in the way."

Coltsfoot sat down and looked at him sadly. "So that…means…I don't…get to join?" he asked slowly. He whimpered.

"No, no, no," Dog's-Tail told him gently. He gave another sigh. "However," he added gently. "You could join, but only in the condition that we cut your ears."

"My ears?" Coltsfoot asked with eyes wide open. Then, he shook his head, overcoming his surprise. He stamped his foot loudly for a kitten, and said in a determined tone, "Fine. You can cut them if you want to."

Dog's-Tail looked at him. Was the kitten taking this seriously? "Are you serious?" he asked his thought out loud.

The kitten nodded slowly, his ears bobbing up and down. "I really, really, really want to join." He scratched one of his ears. "Besides, these things are really annoying me. What's the use of hearing well if you catch burs and all those sort of things on them?"

Dog's-Tail gave him a wide smile. "Then there's no backing down."

"Yes sir!"

"Uh…that wasn't an order…"

"Yes sir!"

Dog's-Tail chuckled and patted Coltsfoot on the head. "Let's get Fritillary to help out. Primrose would be very disappointed if we didn't get him."

***

It was early evening, with Frith just having set. Dog's-Tail, his white muzzle soaked in crimson, metallic-smelling liquid, was walking towards where Primrose was on _silflay, _alone. He wiped himself first, before saying out loud, "The deed is done, sir."

"He cut his ears?" Primrose asked, chewing on the grass.

Dog's-Tail nodded. "Didn't cry out loud. I thought I told you I was thinking of training him for the Owsla. Now I'm thinking he'd be worth more than four officers even if you didn't train him."

Primrose stopped chewing and looked at Dog's-Tail, who was beaming proudly. He tilted his head for a moment, then asked, "You sure about this?"

"Uh huh."

"Masterwort!" he yelled, stopping a passing buck in his tracks. "Yes, you, you idiot! Get some _flayrah_ and bring them to the hutch rabbit's burrow…you know who she is…she's the only hutch rabbit left here, for crying out loud! Yes, her! HER!" He rolled his eyes. "Why are you rabbits always thinking I'm joking when I cry out orders? Yes! You'll do just THAT! For her son, what's his name? Cow's Foot?"

"Uh…Coltsfoot…" Dog's-Tail broke in.

"Yes, that! Go on! What are you waiting for, Frithmas? Go!" He stamped his foot, sending Masterwort flying in order to fulfill his orders.

"What's a Frithmas, sir?" Dog's-Tail asked.

Primrose shrugged. "Word I invented."

***

Eyebright was licking the sleeping Coltsfoot beside her. Coltsfoot's ears were now tattered, roughly around two inches. One was badly ragged, the other quite smooth and longer. He could not hear as well now, but it wasn't much of a loss as he couldn't hear as well as the other rabbits anyway. But he could still hear plenty of things with it, and she was glad of this, because she didn't want him to get into trouble. Blackberry, his sister, had stopped running two weeks ago, a few days after Coltsfoot's ears had been torn off. Like Coltsfoot's two other littermates, she was weak.

She licked him once more, before turning her head to the entrance of the burrow she was in, which was Rowan's. There was a huge rabbit standing just outside, and she could tell that by the scent. Suddenly, she panicked as she jerked herself up and said loudly, "Sir! I'm sorry, sir. By the way, thank you very much for the _flayrah_, sir. How may we be of help to you?"

"I need to talk to your son," Primrose said. "He's there, isn't he?"

"Yes sir, yes he is," Eyebright said. She cuffed Coltsfoot gently, and the kitten stirred from his sleep. After another cuff, he stood up.

Yawning, he sniffed and realized that Primrose was there. "I'm here, I'm here!" he said out loud.

"Yes, I can see that," Primrose told him. "Come here Coltsfoot. There's something I need to tell you."

Glad that the Chief had finally known he existed, Coltsfoot scrambled out of the burrow and followed the huge rabbit into the run. There, Primrose told him of his intentions.

"Do you know Nightshade?" Primrose asked.

"Yes sir! He's your grandson, sir…the future Chief." Coltsfoot answered eagerly.

"So he is. Listen. In time, he will become the Chief, just like you said," Primrose said firmly. "And I have a feeling he'll be capable of the job. But there's something about him I'm worried about." The huge rabbit sat down. "He's too serious for his own good. Doesn't care much for his safety, as long as he gets the job done. You." He looked at Coltsfoot. "Are to make sure he'll be safe. Sort of his own personal sentry."

"Really?" Coltsfoot asked, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Yes, really."

"Sir! I am honored to take this job, and I'll protect Nightshade-rah with my life!" he called out excitedly. He smiled widely. "I swear," he added.

Little did he know…or maybe he knew, unconsciously…that in time, his actions would prove that what he just said were the truth.


	3. Future Chief

**3 – Future Chief **

A seven-week-old gray rabbit was crouching down against the grass, his fur almost becoming one with the blades. His muscles were tense, but certainly not stiff, as he maneuvered his way across an invisible maze in the turf with surprising ease for a kitten, a rabbit kitten, no less.

He looked far from a wild rabbit. His grandmother, Sedge, was a hutch rabbit, and because of the domesticated stock, he looked pretty weird. He was dark gray in color, which didn't blend well against the grass, but he didn't seem to care one bit about the matter. His muzzle was light gray, almost white. He also had a band of longer, thicker hair covering his neck and chest, which looked like an early version of a mane, and this was of the same color as his muzzle.

And his eyes…! They were of a stunning light blue, and how he got them despite the fact that the domesticated rabbit was two generations away from him, no one was really sure.

He stopped, his nose quivering, his tail slightly flicking up. And then, he rushed towards his target swiftly…

And suddenly he stepped on a twig, making it snap out loud. The big rabbit in front of him turned around and yawned.

He cursed silently and sat down, looking at the twig with utter dejection. "I'm sorry," he stated loudly, although he continued to stare at the twig. Such utter evil should not be in this world. Evil twig.

He sighed, his thin mane heaving as he breathed out, and he looked at Primrose. "I'm sorry," he repeated, his ears drawn back in a shameful manner.

Primrose shrugged. "It's a twig. We all step on them some time or another. Just don't make the same mistakes when you're older, or you might be dead right now. And you got close enough to leap on me. Recite to me what I tell you always and you may go now."

"The _elil_ sneaks, the _elil_ pounces, silently, and when their jaws are around one's neck, few escape," the kitten said without faltering.

"Good. Now run along now, Nightshade."

***

Nightshade was quietly on _silflay_ in the early morning. It was a frequent habit of his. He loved the dew on the leaves, which made him less thirsty later in the day, and they were particularly good on the lush grass.

Suddenly, there was a movement behind him, and he whirled around, still chewing on a bunch of blades. At this moment he saw a cream-furred kitten, about two weeks older than he was, _silflaying_ a few meters away from him. The kitten had short, scarred ears.

The kitten noticed him and stood up, nodding his head. He swallowed, then said, "Good morning, Nightshade-rah. Nice weather, ain't it?"

Nightshade stared at him incredulously, then decided to ignore him as he bent his head down the grass again and pulled a few out, chewing on them as soon as he had done so. Coltsfoot shrugged and continued eating as well.

Both were in silence for a while, eating and hopping along the grass as Frith started to rise. Nightshade stopped and looked at the purplish light seemingly seeping out of nowhere before turning his head around to see other rabbits coming out of the holes to eat their early morning _ silflay_.

He didn't like company very much. Primrose's and his mother's he liked, and sometimes Dog's-Tail's as well, but other than that, he wasn't very sociable. He moved away from the general direction of the crowd to rest in a corner in peace, but he hadn't gotten very far when Primrose's huge, bulky form came in front of him and regarded him with a careful eye.

"Good morning sir," he greeted the Chief.

Primrose nodded his head and snatched a bite of grass. Chewing on it, he said, "Today, you'll be doing a perfectly difficult test."

Nightshade looked at him in surprise. "What test?" he asked curiously. He grabbed some flay, then looked at Primrose, his eyes wide.

Swallowing and licking his lips, Primrose said, "It's quite simple. You go to the woods. Stay there until tomorrow morning. And come back here alive."

"There's elil," Nightshade told him. "And…"

"And I have taught you how to dodge them, have I not?" Primrose asked, sitting straight up. "Head. That's all you need to use. Your head. Coltsfoot, you'll be coming along with him."

Coltsfoot looked up. "I'll be WHAT?"

"Yes, you heard me right, mate," Primrose called.

Nightshade was dumbfounded, and showed this plainly as he looked up at Primrose by putting both of his paws on the huge rabbit's chest, his eyes still wide open, his jaw slightly agape. "But I can do it alone!" he protested.

Primrose shook his head, setting him down with a paw. "It's not like that. It's harder if you have to bring someone with you."

"That's crazy!"

"No it's not."

"I still think it is."

"You are entitled to your opinion."

"Yes."

"But you still have to do it with him."

Nightshade growled, which was a pretty amusing growl seeing he was only a kitten, and sighed, a pout on his face. Primrose shook his head and nudged him towards the direction of the woods. "Get along now, both of you. Remember what to do when you run into _elil_."

Nightshade sighed and hopped forward. "Yes, use my head," he said. He continued on. Coltsfoot ran after him.

***

They were walking across the forest. It was a very boring duty, to be sure, and Coltsfoot had yawned for what may seem to be the eightieth time, although he himself had lost count at four. Scratching his neck, the kitten asked, "Uh…he did tell us what to do, didn't he, sir?"

The gray rabbit glanced at him for a moment before saying, "I think he…" He stopped and thought. Did he? "He didn't," he finally concluded, sitting down.

"Then what do we do, sir? I believe we're not really allowed to sort of just _walk_ around here, aren't we? Sir?"

"'Course we aren't," Nightshade argued. He scratched his ear, which was another habit of his. "We'll die if we do. And I don't wanna die this early, don't you?" He stopped, considering his words. He was talking to this kitten? He hadn't talked to a kitten his age before, and considered it very strange to be able to share views. The adults' views were complicated. He had a hard time understanding even their simplest ones.

"Sure don't!" Coltsfoot said. He hopped for a meter, and then stopped, scratching once more. "I guess, I heard of good eating ground somewhere near the stream. Though what stream, I can't tell, but they say _flay's_ very good there. Almost like _flayrah_."

"Who told you that?"

"Rowan."

"Who's Rowan?" Nightshade asked him.

"An Owsla guy…we live in his burrow."

"Some Owsla joke."

"No it ain't. I'll show you." Coltsfoot hopped forward, and Nightshade had no other choice but to hop after him.

***

Half an hour later, the two rabbits were walking around, both looking like they were very tired.

"Coltsfoot, are we lost?" Nightshade asked.

Coltsfoot stopped and stood up on his hind legs, sniffing.

"Coltsfoot, do you even remotely know where we are?"

The rabbit did not answer. He was busy investigating the air.

"Coltsfoot, did you even know where we were going in the first place?

Finally, the kitten turned to him and said, "I'm sorry sir, but it seems I haven't…"

"COLTSFOOT!"

***

But they soon found the stream after another half an hour of wandering. Coltsfoot sniffed the edge and patted the water with his paws playfully. "This has got to be it!" Coltsfoot said excitedly. He turned to Nightshade with a huge grin on his face and asked, "What did I tell you, sir?"

"That you knew the way we were going but we only stumbled here by accident," Nightshade said in a very tired voice. He sat back on his hindquarters and clumsily stood up, his paws waving in the air as he looked across the river. Sure enough, he could see the grass growing across it, with some patches of clover and dandelion around. Whether it was good flay or not he could not tell by appearance or far away scent alone, so he proposed, "Let's check it out. But I don't see any shelter. We'll die without shelter. _Elil_ get us without shelter, you know."

"The stream's too deep here sir," Coltsfoot told him. He was still inspecting the water and was already wet through, his face dripping wet. He climbed out and shook himself. "We can't cross that, sir."

Nightshade shrugged and lollopped down the bank. He suddenly stopped as he saw a rabbit skeleton lying across the stream. He wasn't really sure whether it was a rabbit, but that was the first thing that came into his mind. Bits of decaying flesh stuck to it, and he bared his teeth and licked his lips as he saw this. "Frithrah!" he remarked.

"What is it, sir?" Coltsfoot asked. He hopped beside Nightshade and saw the skeleton, and had the same reaction. "Oh Frith! What in heaven's name is that?"

"It's some sort of dead thing," Nightshade said in shock. He wrinkled his nose.

Coltsfoot, who had a little more courage, stepped nearer to the skeleton and tentatively touched it with a paw. When this was done, he sat down, his eyes wide, before bending his head down to sniff it.

"What's that about?" Nightshade asked, when he saw Coltsfoot's interest.

"It's got this strange sort of smell," Coltsfoot told him, lifting his head up and looking back at him. "And it's very strange…like something I haven't smelled before."

"You think that's why it died?" the young kitten mused.

"I dunno," the other replied.

"Perhaps…" Nightshade thought out loud. He hopped around the object of interest and tentatively sniffed it. "It died of disease," he concluded in a sudden spark of insight.

"What's a disease? Is that _elil_?" Coltsfoot inquired. He tilted his head.

"No, it's some sort of…thing…that you get. My _marli_ told me about it," said he. "But you don't really see it, so you can't run away from it…well, you _can_, but it's hard because you can't see it. When it catches you, you get sick and she said that often others get sick too because of it."

"But if it already catches you," mused the very interested kitten. "Why could it catch someone else? Don't it got too much on its paws already?"

Nightshade shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said.

"But perhaps it's true, though," Coltsfoot replied, looking back at the skeleton. "Because Caraway, one of the Owsla who I hang around with, he said that when the Black Rabbit of Inlé strikes, he often lurks around and sort of gets the next victim that's near the first one he gets. So maybe he's the disease."

"Maybe," Nightshade whispered. He had mainly lost interest in the skeleton as he walked towards the stream, touching the surface of the water carefully. Then, he peered down and blinked.

Coltsfoot shrugged and hopped beside him. "What is it now, sir?" he asked politely.

"The water's shallow," Nightshade told him. He jumped on it and looked around. The water only reached up to his neck, which he thought was nice, since he hadn't actually swam before and wasn't very eager to drown on the first try. He rapidly moved his legs, kicking the dirt under the water, and after a few seconds, he finally reached the bank of the other side. Coughing, he dragged himself up and shook his body, sending droplets of water flying through the air.

"Come on!" he called to Coltsfoot. The fellow kitten seemed very unenthusiastic about crossing the stream. He didn't mind getting wet…in fact, he loved getting wet, but he didn't like the idea of swimming. Like Nightshade, he hadn't swum before.

But he was too loyal to ignore the fact that his master had just told him to swim. He wasn't about to give himself a bad reputation on his first day in the job Primrose has assigned him, which was to watch out after Nightshade, so he heaved a great big sigh, then leaped into the water.

He made a big splash. As water closed in on him, he suddenly panicked and began paddling rapidly, but it seemed that he kept sinking. His weight had given in and he couldn't handle it much, even with the shallow water and all. He trashed around the water wildly, sending splashes hurling through the air.

"It's not so bad!" Nightshade yelled, getting impatient.

Coltsfoot heard this. He stopped, panting, and suddenly realized how shallow the water truly was. He gave the stream a frown, and then slowly hopped towards the bank.

Nightshade bent his head over a patch of grass and sniffed it, his nose quivering. Then, he daintily nibbled a bit and swallowed it. Finally, he said, "Well, you might be right. This grass tastes good."

"It does?" Coltsfoot asked. He shook a hind leg, making sure it was all dry, before he hopped towards the nearest blade of grass. Without waiting to sniff it first in order to know whether it was dangerous or not, he bit down on it and chewed.

"Itch chastes gooch," Coltsfoot remarked, his mouth full. He swallowed and gave Nightshade a huge grin. "See? What did I tell you?"

Nightshade shrugged. "I don't remember anymore," he said.

And Coltsfoot sighed.

***

The two rabbits peacefully and hungrily chomped down the surprisingly tasty flay. They haven't said a word to each other for more than half an hour now, and Coltsfoot, who had decided it had been long enough, was about to say something when the air was suddenly filled with a stinking sort of smell.

Nightshade had smelled this before, many a time in the past. He had known the smell for so long now, he wasn't very much surprised, but naturally, he was terrified. Not only was he a rabbit, and instinctively afraid of such things, but also because Primrose wasn't around to save him.

"Homba," he whispered plainly. His heart thumped against his chest. He looked at Coltsfoot with wide open eyes and repeated it. "_Homba_."

Coltsfoot had stopped eating. He stamped, instinctively, and suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge canid leaped out, yapping.

The two rabbits would have grown _tharn_, but Nightshade wasn't about to let that happen. He quickly pushed Coltsfoot off to the left, and yelled to him in a quick, commanding tone, "Get moving! I'll take care of this!"

Coltsfoot was scared, but even then, he didn't want to leave Nightshade. Nevertheless, his future Chief would have nothing of that sort. He yelled at him again, this time louder and more aggressive, that Coltsfoot realized he had no other choice but to obey. He was helpless. If he faced the fox, he would die. But still…

He turned and ran, loyalty overtaking courage, his head spinning in confusion as he did so.

Nightshade had already ran along the stream, crashing against the bushes. He could hear the fox yapping behind him, eager to tear into his skin for some flesh. Suddenly, fear struck him. Much fear, that he couldn't think straight.

But then, something went through his head.

_"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and when they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks, and your people shall never be destroyed." _

Elahrairah. He'd know what to do in situations like this, won't he? Elahrairah would. He was smart and cunning and brave, and a Chief was fashioned after him. If he were to be a good Chief, he had to do what Elahrairah would do…

_"Be cunning and full of tricks…" _

What Elahrairah would do…

_"Be cunning and full of tricks…" _

Is what he should…

_"And your people shall never be destroyed." _

He crashed into the water, never minding the fact that he had no idea whether it was deep or shallow. He swam quickly, rapidly, his chest pounding so heart he could have sworn it would explode any second now. Water rushed into his lungs, but he did not stop, he could not stop. He had to win through this…

He was the future Chief, after all!

He suddenly clambered up the bank and looked around. The fox was staring at him with cold golden eyes, and he squealed and ran off along the bank. Even as he did so, he heard the fox splash into the water, and realized it was after him again.

Nightshade ran in such a fashion that a kitten would never had done. But he was no ordinary kitten. Primrose had trained him since the day he could walk, trained him to run and to keep on running even if pain shot through his body, even if he felt he could not run any more. He could hear the fox running after him, could almost feel the fox's hot breath against his flanks…

And then he reached the place where the rabbit skeleton lay. He looked at it, and a plan formed in his head. He leaped into the water again and quickly swam across. It wasn't so hard, this time. The water was relatively shallow.

When he reached the bank, he turned and saw the fox inspecting the rabbit bones, biting it and chewing on it. Frith, his plan worked! But it wouldn't be much of a plan if he didn't keep on running, so he kept on running, crashing along the forest, hoping and praying that the fox's interest on the old bones wouldn't wane quickly.

He suddenly saw a strange rock structure, with a small hole below it, big enough for a kitten even bigger than he was to fit in. He suddenly heard a voice from inside call to him.

"Nightshade-rah!"

He didn't wait. He crashed inside, banging straight into Coltsfoot, and quickly began pushing dirt off with his hind legs. His breathing was brisk.

He stopped as he heard the fox sniffing at them from outside. But he relaxed as he realized that the fox couldn't get in. Its whole head could not fit through the hole, and its jaws weren't within reach of them. He gave a sigh of relief.

For the rest of the night, the fox stayed there, but it soon went on its way. Nightshade and Coltsfoot didn't bother to get out until Frith-rise. And when they did, they were sure to be careful of their way.

***

A crow was flying overhead, yakking as it flapped its wings in the early morning sky. It spotted two rabbits crouching beside each other, alone, and suddenly, it dove towards them, screaming and cawing as it went.

Primrose stood up and watched as the crow descended down. The crow shuffled its feathers, then looked at Primrose with its deep black eyes. And then, in perfectly clear Lapine, it said, "Yark! Little Rah and companion alive! Make it through, escape _homba_, and they alive! They coming onto here now!"

"Good job, Ebony," Dog's-Tail praised, grinning at the crow widely.

"You may leave," Primrose said.

The crow nodded. It raised its wings and flew off, cawing as it left, just the way like it came.

"That was certainly a good idea," Dog's-Tail commented, grinning at Primrose. "About taking that chick and raising him as our Owsla spy. I couldn't have thought of that if my life depended on it."

"Stop praising and smiling. They're coming, as he said," Primrose snapped. He lifted his ears. Two small figures were hopping towards them. In no time, Nightshade and Coltsfoot appeared, looking utterly exhausted, but alive and unscathed.

Primrose gave Nightshade a proud look. "You passed," he said seriously. "That is good."

"I am future Chief," Nightshade answered him haughtily. "It is not acceptable to fail."

And Primrose could only smile inwardly at this.


	4. Life Lost

**4 – Life Lost **

Two months had passed by as quick as time had always gone. Primrose was lolloping across the trails he and his rabbits had laid many a time before, now obvious in the sparse grass of the forest floor.

In the past two months, age had taken its toll on Primrose. Warren problems weighed upon him, that, and his evident age, had caused some areas in his dark fur to lighten considerably. His eyesight was blurry now, almost but not quite blind, and his gait, once proud, was now dull and heavy as it tracked along the ground.

He lowered his head, sniffing the grass with great interest. He stepped up and realized they were in the fields, with little trees surrounding them. He sighed, for no reason whatsoever other than for sighing itself. Suddenly, he jerked his head up as he heard a slight movement nearby.

"It's just a magpie," Nightshade said worriedly. The young buck, now as tall as Primrose's shoulder, was concerned for the old rabbit's well being. He hadn't been himself for some time now.

"So it is," Primrose said, giving him a grin. He sat down and scratched his neck furiously. "You know, you'll be a Chief soon."

Nightshade nodded. "I understand."

"Someday," Primrose said, sniffing the air. "All there is to be a Chief, actually," he suddenly said, after some silence. He turned to Nightshade, his eyes squinting as he made sure it was really him and not some sort of rock. "All there is to being a Chief is looking out for your rabbits."

He suddenly froze as a loud scream shot through the sky. "Nightshade, that is no magpie," he said.

"No, it's worse," Nightshade replied. "Run, sir! It's a hawk!" He bolted off towards the trees, while yelling, "Primrose-rah! Here sir!" He turned around and stood there, looking in shock. Primrose had not run. He could have if he wanted to…

But he was attacking the hawk.

"What the heck are you doing?!" Nightshade yelled.

"Stay!" Primrose called to him. He kicked the hawk sharply, then rolled about in the grass. The hawk went after him.

"No I won't!" Nightshade called stubbornly. He hopped towards the hawk, leaping towards it as he came, intending to drive the creature off his precious Chief. The hawk saw him. Screaming, it abandoned Primrose to strike at him, stabbing his shoulder sharply with a beak. He cuffed at the hawk, who avoided the blow expertly. Then, the hawk flapped its wings and slashed at Nightshade with its sharp talons.

The sharp edges flew towards Nightshade, and the rabbit flattened himself down the ground. The hawk missed him, except for his right eye. It was caught in the hawk's rapid blow. Fresh blood flew down, shutting it tight.

"I said leave!" Primrose yelled. He bumped against the hawk. "No rabbit is good enough to be standing against elil! Get out of here!"

"But…" Nightshade protested.

Primrose cuffed him sharply, sending him flying towards the shelter of the trees. "You are the warren's hope," he said. "Don't fail me."

Then, the hawk clutched him tightly. Primrose squealed, his claws and teeth trying desperately to remove the bird's tight grip, but it was as determined as he. It flew off, Primrose in its talons.

Nightshade stood there, blinking. This was a dream. Frith, this was just a dream…wasn't it? Primrose was the strongest rabbit he had ever known. He couldn't…just be gone, like that, couldn't he?

He sat there for the longest time, oblivious of _elil_, or the gnawing hunger in his stomach. He could not believe it, yet he had seen it. Primrose was gone…dead. How could he? Despite the buck's cold and harsh nature, he had grown to respect him far beyond than anyone could have ever imagined. Primrose. His Rah, the one who had watched over him as he grew, teaching him that being a Chief was not a position that gave one everything one wanted…that it was a harsh job, full of responsibilities and sacrifices.

A Chief. He regained his senses as he realized that now that Primrose was gone, he was the Chief. He was not overjoyed by the fact. But he knew, somehow, he had to go back to the warren and tell everyone the sad news, that Primrose was gone, and he had to start ruling the warren in the way that Chiefs were supposed to rule.

He hopped back slowly, passing by the bushes. Never would he walk this terrain again with Primrose. Never again.

So life ends that quickly.

He gave a slight snicker. Who would have known?

***

The atmosphere was surprisingly eerie, in a way. It was quiet, with only the occasional buzzing of a bee, or the chirping of a bird, but it was by no means peaceful. Nightshade stopped to scratch his ear. He was confused. Usually, by this time, he ought to have seen some rabbit or two dash by.

He passed by two huge trees and sat down in front of another. Placing his paws on the huge, bark-covered trunk, he peered to the side to the field. And then, his mouth dropped open.

There were rabbits. But not the kind of rabbits he expected. Two or four rabbits hopping about in the grass, _silflaying_, were not unusual. This one was. There were more rabbits than he could count, more rabbits than he could comprehend. In fact, he could have sworn he could hardly see the grass because of the vast numbers of brown hides covering the place.

He gave a deep breath, his head spinning as he tried to think the matter over. What was happening? He peered again, his ears flat against his head. There, he heard a loud squealing.

He squinted. He could see that some of the rabbits were digging furiously. He dropped down on all fours and gaped again. Frith and Inlé, they were being attacked!

He was Chief now. He knew, deep inside, he wasn't allowed to run away. He had to somehow get inside and get in touch with the other rabbits. But how? If he tore across this group of rabbits here, he would surely be stripped of his pelt. He sat down, pondering deeply.

While he was thinking, he remembered Dog's-Tail's frantic words the other day. He had said something about 'strange rabbits' and 'spies not confirming anything but I think they're planning an attack'. Although he could not remember anything far beyond that, he realized that Dog's-Tail's worries had come through.

He suddenly stood up. Glancing at the huge armies worriedly, he made his way around the edge of the thicket. He didn't have any trouble sneaking in behind the other rabbits' backs. Primrose's training had not been in vain. He knew he could sneak in between a couple of the rabbits and manage not to be noticed, although of course he wasn't a fool enough to try that. He had other things in mind.

He stopped, his tail flicking as he eyed an unguarded spot, located inside the woods. It was covered, but he knew that spot well as he hopped towards it and sniffed it. He anxiously looked around, then sniffed it again. Yes, it was this spot.

He suddenly began digging. The ground was soft, so soft that it did not take him any more than a few seconds to open a hole. There, he saw a run, connecting to the covered ground he had just dug open.

He hopped inside, making sure to cover the hole first with his hind legs. He gave a deep sigh before making his way across the bow-shaped run, hopping quickly.

Nightshade came upon a dead end, but that didn't dissuade him. He knew this run. It was a run Primrose himself had dug as a safety precaution back in the past, and the old rabbit had made sure to say something about it to him. He began digging furiously at the wall.

When he was through, he leaped, and landed in a burrow. He shook himself free of dirt before looking around, his eyes scanning the dirt-covered walls. Burrows generally looked alike, but rabbits knew better. It smelled and he knew it was certainly Primrose's burrow.

He hopped out, his ears flicking. He was inside the warren. Now, what was he to do?

Find Dog's-Tail. In the absence of a Chief, the Captain of the Owsla was always the one in charge. Although he was the Chief, there were plenty of exceptions, and at the moment he knew that Dog's-Tail was in charge of the warren. But where he was? He sure couldn't be in his burrow. After all, unless he was on patrol, which was unlikely as Dog's-Tail wasn't the patrolling-addicted kind of rabbit, he should know that they were being attacked and was making measures to save themselves.

He shrugged. He'd find a rabbit somewhere who'd know where he was. He looked around to gather his bearings, then hopped across the familiar runs.

Nightshade reached an area that was nearer to the surface ground, and there he was suddenly stricken with the knowledge that he shouldn't have taken this route. For, at that moment, the roof fell down, and a huge buck, most likely an Owsla, appeared. He looked at Nightshade, as if amazed that a young buck like that one would be allowed around here with the attack. Then, he saw the blue eye and gray coat, and suddenly he screamed bloody murder.

He flew at Nightshade, cuffing the rabbit across the cheek sharply. The young buck slammed against the soft walls, his back scraping the dirt. Grinning, the Owsla fell upon him.

Nightshade was not going to go down without a fight, if this was the end. His good eye flashed as his hind legs tried to remove the buck off him, kicking. His mouth began to foam.

Then, he saw that the officer had diverted his attention from him. He was now attacking another rabbit. Even with the light coming through the crack in the roof, Nightshade could not recognize the other rabbit. It was a thin buck, probably not even in the Owsla. Why was he saving him?

He stared in shock as the other buck began to fight the Owsla, less desperately than he did, but still desperately. Then, the buck looked back at him and yelled, "Get out of here, sir! We can't let them get you! Run, Nightshade-rah!"

Nightshade stared as the officer ripped the other buck's exposed chest to pieces. Stared as the his defender still flew at the officer, yelling, screaming even as his life ebbed away through the thick drops of blood that fell from his body. "For my warren!" the rabbit screamed.

He turned and ran. He had to. Even if he didn't want to, even if every fiber in his body wanted him to defend the rabbit as he had defended him, he knew he had to run. If he stayed he could die. He was not afraid of dying…it was something Primrose had ingrained in him ever since he could learn what the phrase meant, but if he died then the rabbit's sacrifice would have been for nothing.

He ran still, hearing the officer gave chase after him. He did not know whether to continue running, or to turn and fight, but he had to escape, somehow.

Then, all of a sudden, two more rabbits appeared…a doe and a buck. Both looked at him and smiled at him. "We'll hold him off here, Nightshade-rah," the doe said.

"But…" Nightshade started.

"They're going to destroy us, perhaps take a few prisoners, but they're going to destroy us," the buck said. He took a step forward. "If I'm just going to die here, I'm going to die protecting the leaders. You, sir."

"Go!"

The doe gave him a nudge with her nose. Nightshade sniffled an oncoming sob.

"Someday," the doe told him, seeing his apparent resistance. "Someday, you're going to look back on this and thank us."

She gave him a harder push, which made him run again.

He ran on, passing by fighting bucks. Squeals sounded through the air, and he was forced to look down as he ran. The smell of blood was strong, and he hated it, being unused to it.

As he ran, he suddenly felt something grab him. Squealing, he looked up to see Fritillary, one of Dog's-Tail and Primrose's high-ranking Owsla officers. He gave a sigh of relief.

"Sir, follow us," Fritillary said, nudging him forward. He followed, his heart pounding wildly against his chest. Another rabbit walked along with them, a rabbit whom he faintly recognized as Yarrow, Primrose's runner.

The two rabbits led him far from the battles and near the _ flayrah_ storage burrow. It wasn't really called thus, but that was the place were the officers dropped off _flayrah_ so that other officers could get at them. It was abandoned now, but a few cabbages, carrots, and lettuces were scattered around.

"Where's the Chief?" Fritillary asked, turning around and crouching down beside Nightshade.

"Hawk," Nightshade answered, staring at the walls.

"Dear…dear…dear Frith!" Yarrow exclaimed. He shook his head.

Nightshade sighed, and Fritillary looked at the young buck, no more than a kitten, with a hint of compassion in his eyes. "You're our Chief now, then," he said gently, pressing his nose against Nightshade's ear to comfort him.

"Frit…Frit…Fritillary…" Yarrow started. "If…we…we…we…don't…don't…do anything….he'll be Chief…of nothin'."

"I know!" Fritillary snapped. He lowered his ears. "Sorry sir. But eat some _flayrah_. The enemies will take some time to get through our sentries and reach us here. Eat sir."

For some time, the three rabbits crouched there, chewing on carrots quietly. Finally, Fritillary stood up. "They ought to be near now. As much faith as I have in our Owsla, they couldn't have held that much rabbits any further." He narrowed his eyes. "I see three shadows. Nightshade-rah, you better go off and find Captain Dog's-Tail. He's in the deeper burrows, near your _ marli_'s burrow."

The three shadows drew nearer, until finally, they could see that it belonged to three huge, scarred bucks.

"This is going to be good," Fritillary said, licking his lips. He grinned at Nightshade, although he wasn't feeling any better than the confused buck. "I wanted some action," he stated, turning his gaze back towards their enemies. "Get to Captain Dog's-Tail, Nightshade-rah. He'll make sure you get out of here alive."

"No," Nightshade stated firmly. "I can't leave you! I left three other rabbits back there! They're dead now, because of me!"

"Listen!" Fritillary snapped, staring at the young Chief face to face. "I have lived my two years well. You are only a few months old. And our Chief, nevertheless. Do me a favor, Chief. Save yourself." He smiled, then patted the very nervous Yarrow on the back. "Come on old chap. We'll show these lots we're bloody better than they are in any combat."

He leaped at the nearest buck, his heavy paw extended. At one slash, his enemy's neck was broken. "Eat _hraka_, you dung-faced disgrace to Elahrairah!" he screamed.

Fritillary threw himself at another buck, and this time, the fight lasted long. There was tremendous squealing as the two bucks cuffed each other repeatedly.

"Run!" Yarrow yelled.

And Nightshade turned again and ran. Rabbits never cry, but his heart was overflowing with tears as he realized how terrible life truly was.

He hadn't gone too far when he heard a distant squeal. He forced himself to look back, and at that saw that all the _hrair_ rabbits fighting each other had gone down, all of them. Fritillary and Yarrow were gone.

For his sake.

There was nothing worse than a helpless leader.

***

He was running steadily. For a moment, he was glad that he could no longer hear the sounds of battles, but he was sure this was not to last long. So he treasured the silence for as long as he knew it would last.

He bumped into a rabbit. Turning around, he saw the graceful form of the doe, Elil-hain…his mother.

"Nightshade-rah," she began.

He buried his head in her chest, sobbing in the quite manner that rabbits do. He had been trying to be strong for the past few hours yet had failed miserably. May Primrose grant him this moment of weakness. He needed it badly.

When he was through, he looked up at his gentle mother and asked, "Where's Captain Dog's-Tail?"

"He's fighting," Elil-hain said, nuzzling the gray rabbit with her muzzle. "We've ran out of Owsla. They have more rabbits than we."

"I have to help! I'm the Chief now!" Nightshade exclaimed.

Elil-hain smiled at him. "There is nothing you can do. You have to leave right now before they see you."

"Why can't you…come?" Nightshade asked in terror as the realization of what his mother wanted him to do struck him. He looked up at her, his body trembling. "Why? _Marli_?"

"I have to stay and protect the others, the ones with the kittens," his mother said. "A few of them might survive if we last long enough to defend them."

"No…" Nightshade said, quietly at first. Then, he yelled. "NOOOO!" His grandfather was gone. Frith, don't take away his mother too! Frith! _Are You there? _

"Don't be so stubborn, please," Elil-hain pleaded, kissing his head.

"They've told me this more times than I can count! I'm going to stay! Frith forbid, I'm going to defend this warren alongside you, die if I must. I'm not going to leave! I'm not going to leave!" yelled the desperate, horror-stricken kitten.

"Rah, you're important!" another doe called. She had heard their conversation.

Nightshade shook his head with anger. "No, no!" he yelled. Despite his seriousness, it was apparent that he was still a kitten.

Just a kitten… 

He heard sounds coming from the runs. He turned his head in panic as he saw several sentries coming in numbers. _No, Frith, no! Not again! Not again! _

He was about to throw himself at a buck when Elil-hain's paw stopped him. "We'll hold them off. You sneak away and run," she said.

"I am no coward!" Nightshade shouted, stamping his foot.

"You are the bravest kitten I have ever known," Elil-hain assured him, nuzzling him again. "Run, Nightshade-rah."

"Don't make me do this," Nightshade protested. "Please, don't make me do this! Frith, I'll die, I'll die alongside you all, they can rip my guts out all they want and I won't care, just _please_ don't make me do this!"

"My kitten, my dear little kitten, you will grow up someday," she said, licking his head affectionately. Her brown eyes were gleaming with that certain love mothers felt for their children, even through the worst of times. "When you do, remember how much your _marli_ loved you."

"Please," he gasped, shaking his head, even as he heard the bucks coming towards them, squealing for their blood. "Please…don't make me do this…don't make me do this…"

"Someday," she said, smiling at him. "We'll meet again."

He stared in horror as his _marli_ and several other rabbits fought their enemies. He stared in shock as blood flew across the walls, staining it red. And he stared as Elil-hain…his mother…crashed down the floor, her neck ripped open.

The battle ended as quickly as it started. The sentries all had fallen dead, but none of those that attacked them survived, either. He nuzzled his mother's body, the pain gushing through his veins. Frith, why him? Why him?

"_Marli_!" he yelled in frustration.

His lifted his head, his one good eye glaring. He was going to survive. For those rabbits…for his mother's sake.

He looked at her one last time before going on his way.

***

He headed towards Primrose's burrow without incident. There, he started opening up the blocked run.

A shadow moved behind him. When he looked around, he smelled and saw Coltsfoot, staring at him wide-eyed. "You're alive?" the rabbit asked. "You're alive! Oh Frith!"

He ignored the rabbit. Although he was glad to see a familiar face that wasn't dead, he was far too deep in his own sorrows to say anything more than a quiet snort.

Coltsfoot sighed. He had his own injuries. His mother, too, had perished within the battle that had raged near their burrow areas. He fought bravely alongside Witchhazel, but when the battle became too bleak, the rabbit had ordered him to find Dog's-Tail or any of the _Rahil_, and this he did without hesitation, knowing all-too well that orders were orders. He licked a wounded paw carefully, before eyeing Nightshade again to see what he was doing.

When it hit him that Nightshade was digging a way out, he helped remove the dirt quickly. His mouth was shut. He realized that Nightshade might as well be as sad as he was, and probably worse off. When they finally made the run big enough to fit through, they hopped off across the whole length of it.

They reached the other end and began digging again, silently but quickly, claws scraping the soft, brown dirt with a certain urgency. Finally, they opened the hole.

Nightshade peered outside. Then, he hopped out, with Coltsfoot following behind, and dashed off.

He had been hoping for a quiet getaway, but unfortunately, someone spotted their quick movements. There was a loud yelling, and he and his companion ran faster upon sudden realization that they were being chased.

They ran, tongues lolling out. Coltsfoot groaned. "Frith under a rock! We can't outrun them, Nightshade-rah! Look how fast they are!"

Nightshade cursed under his breath.

"You think we can still fit in that rock?" Coltsfoot asked him. They tumbled down the stream. They could hear the rabbits chasing them right behind them.

Nightshade nodded. "Think we can," he answered. He sniffed the water and paused to take a quick lap.

"We fight them through there. Thus, we're protected," Coltsfoot exclaimed. He smiled. "Come on!" Then, he leaped into the water, finding it no problem to cross now that he was bigger than before.

Nightshade looked back. This might as well be the last time he would be here. He shook his head sadly, then followed Coltsfoot into the water, swimming the whole length as easily as the other.

***

They came upon the rock structure. It was small, but Nightshade furiously dug on it. When the hole was large enough for them to fit in, he waited for Coltsfoot to go in first.

"No," Coltsfoot immediately countered when he realized what Nightshade meant. "I ain't stayin'. You go in. I can handle them better, especially with all three of my sides protected. All attack and no defense."

Nightshade was in no mood to protest. He squeezed inside and crouched down.

Coltsfoot went in after his master had. There, he turned around, just in time to see the other rabbits looking at them curiously.

"Ha!" one rabbit yelled. "Bloody kittens too scared of us. Hiding! Bah!"

"Why do we need to get those little _hraka_, anyway?" another asked. The rabbit rubbed its neck thoughtfully.

A buck hopped towards the hole and tried to get in using his head, but his big body did not allow him inside. Moreover, Coltsfoot had taken to snapping his teeth. He lifted a paw and aimed a quick cuff across the buck's outstretched leg.

The buck extracted it and shook it across the air. Blood flew freely from the wound Coltsfoot had caused, and he stared at the rabbit and hissed, "You little piece of…"

"They're not worth wasting our time on!" one of his companions called. "Come on! We're missing the battle."

"Fools!" the buck who had tried to get at Coltsfoot yelled. He hopped towards the particular rabbit and stared at him straight in the eye, his own glaring angrily. "Didn't you see the other rabbits? The one that went inside before he did? He was gray! Their Chief's heir!"

"There's no rabbit like that here!" Coltsfoot called, gritting his teeth angrily. His fur bristled to the end. "You're rabbit's right! You're wastin' your time with me! This rabbit here is not the gray one!"

"I saw it with my own eyes!" the buck yelled at him, dashing towards the hole. Then, he sat down, groaning as he remembered that he could not fit in. "Dig 'em out," he quickly said, looking at his companions. "Come on! Dig them out so we can get this over with!"

"Fine!" a couple of the rabbits exclaimed. The walked towards the hole and were about to dig when one of their companions looked around worriedly.

"What's the matter, Cowslip?" their leader asked the rabbit. "You look worried."

"The smell…" Cowslip muttered. He whirled around, his nose rapidly closing and shutting. "I can't be sure…but…"

Then the air was suddenly filled with a thick, stinky odor, one the rabbits loathed with all their hearts.

"Homba! Fox! Bolt! Bolt!" their leader yelled. He started to rush off, but a fox leaped in from the bushes. It was the same one that had chased Nightshade and Coltsfoot off months ago, and as before, it was very angry. Its yellow eyes gleamed as it grabbed the buck by the back, breaking it with one snap.

Squealing, the rabbits fled in all directions. The fox did not bother to chase them as it carried its meal off proudly.

Coltsfoot poked his head out. The fox sure won't return while it was eating, and the rabbits probably won't, either. Heaving a sigh of relief, he looked back at Nightshade. "We got to leave now."

Nightshade did not say anything, but he hopped out of the hole as soon as Coltsfoot himself was out of the way. Coltsfoot stared at him and shrugged. "As much as I don't want to leave home," he told his master carefully. "We both now it's probably gone now."

"You don't need to remind me," Nightshade told him sharply. He hopped off.

Shrugging, Coltsfoot ran after him.

Nightshade walked on, hardly bothering to stop and sniff the air in order to see whether there was danger or not. He was buried in deep thoughts again. His warren was gone. Coltsfoot was right. The rabbits probably destroyed it, what with the way they acted and all.

He shook his head. Words cannot express the sorrow he felt now. As night came, he had come to the conclusion that there was nothing left to live for. His warren…his family…they were gone.

He wouldn't be feeling this way, had he been another rabbit, raised as a rabbit, lived as a rabbit. But he wasn't. All his life all he had been taught was to live for the warren. And now that the warren was gone…

He sighed.

He had survived, perhaps one of the few that had, but all the same…he had lost his life.


	5. Cold Eyes

**5 – Cold Eyes **

The two young rabbits had been helplessly wandering around the fields. It could only be due to luck, or to Forest's excellent rabbit-training methods, that they managed to survive. Farm hazards and _elil_ alike had yet to take them down.

Coltsfoot peered over the small rise in the ground that completely covered him and Nightshade. Then, he looked around. Satisfied that there seemed to be no danger nearby, he sat down and looked at Nightshade.

The young rabbit had been quiet ever since they had been traveling. And what little he had to say, he said it in the harshest words he could muster. Coltsfoot did not really blame him. He realized it had to be hard for him, losing the warren like that, although he did not understand _how_ hard it was. After all, he was only an Owsla-trainee, not a Chief. The impact of losing a warren, even his own mother, was not as hard on him as it had been on Nightshade.

"Nightshade-rah," Coltsfoot started, hoping to somehow tell some sort of joke to cheer him up.

Nightshade looked at him. Sharply. "Don't," he said firmly, in the harshest voice Coltsfoot had ever heard in him. "Call me that. I am dead. All that was Nightshade had died along with the others. All that remains of me is his ghost. Leave it be to that."

***

Coltsfoot had by then stopped calling him Nightshade, because he refused to be called as such. He did not understand much, but he did understand, a little, and being a loyal rabbit, he obeyed Nightshade's wishes.

The two were _siflaying_ quite near a roadside, although not near enough for the strange, human-created terrain to scare them. The grass was quite coarse around these areas, but for neither of them cared. It was food, and that was important.

The two ate quietly, Coltsfoot glancing up and around their environment every now and then in order to see whether they were safe or not. Whenever he decided they were, he would grab another bite, then lift his head again whilst chewing.

It was then that he smelled fox. He stamped his hind leg fiercely, once, then twice, and just to be sure, thrice. He whirled around and looked at Nightshade. "T'is _homba_, sir," he said.

At that moment, the _homba_ appeared. It was a golden-red male fox, with the white muzzle and black paws most foxes have. Yapping, long tongue lolling out, it eagerly went after the rabbits.

Coltsfoot wasted no time in running. The fox chased after him, and he ran off, his tail flashing white. One part of him hated how the fox had gone after him, but the rest of him was glad that he _was_ being chased. He would never have forgiven himself had the fox chased after Nightshade while he ran away.

_"Always put your Chief first. Suffer if you must, die if you must, but your Chief is always the first in your mind." _

Dog's-Tail's words were ringing in his mind at that time, and it kept him going.

As the bushes parted when he crashed head on against them, he saw a house. Without waiting to think it over, he rushed into the garden. He could almost feel the fox's hot breath against his flanks, and in that way, he doubled up his speed. His heart felt like it would burst. The pain…Frith, the pain!

Then, he crashed into a slightly ajar door of a shed. There, he turned around, ready to meet his fate wide-eyed.

But he heard a shot. Then, there was the unmistakable voice of a human. "Get outta here!" came the shout.

All became silent. Then, when he poked his head out of the door, he saw that the fox had turned tail and ran.

For a moment, he was glowering in his apparent victory against _elil_ once again. Then, he realized that the fox would be coming back for Nightshade.

Oh Frith, he was too late…

***

Nightshade ran, his hind legs pushing the ground quickly as he scrambled off, his eyes scanning for anywhere he could hide. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Frith, what rabbit can? His paw crashed into a small rock, but he did not stop running, even as the wound bled freely.

He managed to look back. It was a mistake. Fear gripped him tightly when he did so. There were _two_ foxes chasing him. Two! He realized that they were mates, probably seeking to find food for their family.

He saw a den right ahead. Running faster, he entered it. The two foxes were not far behind.

He slid across the den floor, passing by an unsuspecting badger. He caught stood up and looked at the equally surprised _elil_. Talk about entering the lion's den…

The badger blinked, twice in fact, to make sure that it wasn't dreaming. No, he wasn't, even though food going into one's den was far from ordinary. Licking its lips, it said in hedgerow talk, "I'll kill you. Oh yes, it very wrong you enter here. It very wrong. I kill you."

Gasping for breath, Nightshade quickly said, "Homba chase me. You drive them away, I leave you peace."

"Why not eat you?" the badger asked in a logical way. "Chasing _homba_ no good. Eating you, very good."

Nightshade wasn't stupid. Like any ordinary rabbit, he knew well that the badger wouldn't go about doing favors that would save him and leave it hungry. He glanced around the dark set and suddenly heard the unmistakable whines of cubs. Badger cubs?

He quickly walked towards one and placed his paw against it. Growling, he looked back at the badger. "This cub you want? You go chase fox, let me leave, I leave cub." He heartlessly cuffed the young cub, making it squeal.

The female badger growled at him, teeth snapping, but this action proved to be useless. The young rabbit held his ground, his claws stretched out. "You want cub die?" he asked. He pressed his claws against the hairless baby. "I kill this one, kill other ones too. I see foxes out there. You chase foxes, I leave cub alone."

The badger growled angrily. She wanted to attack the rabbit badly, but seeing as this might result in the death of one of her own cubs, she hesitated. Perhaps she ought to do as he said. She had lost all of her two previous litters and had sworn to keep this one as alive as she could get. Cussing loudly, she advanced to the mouth of her sett and stared at the two foxes looking at her eagerly.

"Rabbit go down there!" one of the foxes yelled. "I want rabbit! It ours! You no have it!"

"No rabbit here," the badger said, her teeth bared. "You go leave. I have cubs there."

"You lie! Rabbit there, rabbit there! I saw it go!" The other fox jumped up and down angrily. "Rabbit there!" it repeated.

"Leave!" the badger yelled. "You go in, I kill you. You no come in."

"Rabbit keeper," the other fox muttered. But it did not bother to fight the badger. Mothers with children were surprisingly terrible fighters, and they fight to the death if need be. Sighing, it urged its mate to leave.

The two hurried off, glancing back every second at the angry-looking badger, and soon disappeared behind the brush.

"They gone?" Nightshade asked.

The badger sniffed. "They gone," she said. "Now give me cub back."

Nightshade grabbed the badger cub in his mouth and walked out of the sett, glancing here and there. His nose told him that the foxes were no longer around. He walked a few meters away from the staring mother badger. Then, he opened his jaws, letting the cub drop down the ground. The cub smashed down and squealed, making the mother badger scream out her rage.

He turned tail and hopped off, leaving the mother badger to get her cub and comfort it. He didn't really want to hurt the cub, but he was in no mood to care right now.

He did not bother to come back to the spot where he and Coltsfoot had separated. Somehow, something told him that the foxes would be wandering around that area for some time still, and he didn't want to get eaten by a bunch of hraka-smelling idiots. Nightshade lollopped off to the north.

***

Sometime a day later, he came upon the remains of a rabbit. He hopped towards it and sniffed it. It was then that he saw a bird carcass nearby. A talon was pierced into what he thought was the rabbit's back.

He realized what he just saw, but he did not want to mourn any longer. Turning away from Primrose's remains, he hopped on.

Somehow, the glare in his left eye, the one that was not closed tight by blood clot, became icy cold.


	6. Alone

**PART 2: THE LOST RABBIT **

**6 - Alone **

"_Marli_…"

"_Marli_, don't make me do this…"

"Don't make me leave you alone…"

"I don't want to fail anyone anymore!"

The four-month old rabbit snapped his eyes open. A dream. It was all just a dream. Yet he had done it in reality before. He had abandoned them. His warren. He had abandoned them…

He blinked wearily. Suddenly, he saw something sitting beside him. Glancing up, he saw a huge, rabbit-like creature. In fact, he thought it was a rabbit, until he got a better glimpse. Worriedly, he asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Thorn," the animal said in pure Lapine, sniffing the young rabbit near the ear.

"What are you?" the rabbit immediately asked again. He sat up, his ears twitching. "I haven't seen anything like you before." The animal was lean, but very tall, with long hind legs and long ears, neatly lined with black.

"I'm a hare," Thorn replied. He sniffed the rabbit again, as if making sure he was okay. "I found you sleeping out here in the open. You're a rabbit, aren't you? That's not a good thing. You rabbits aren't safe out _silf_."

The rabbit shrugged, still staring at the hare. It was true that he had not seen them in the past…they weren't as numerous as rabbits. That was why he was surprised to see this one right now. "So," Thorn started. "Why are you out here? I thought you people stayed in warrens."

The young rabbit turned away from him. "It's none of your damned business," he said, standing up. He started to hop away, intending to leave the hare behind.

But it proved a bad thing, as the hare had overtaken him with his huge, loping steps. The rabbit looked at Thorn indignantly, and said out loud, "You leave me alone."

"I don't think that you ought to be traveling," the hare said, sitting beside the young rabbit. He looked at the rabbit's gray pelt. It wasn't thick or lustrous. In fact, it was sparse, without any shine on it. To top it off, he could see the look of exhaustion on the young rabbit's face. He scratched his ear with one of his long hind legs, and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "You're tired, and I don't think you can last a week longer on your own."

"It doesn't matter," the rabbit said quietly.

The hare perked his ears up. "What's wrong with you?"

"Don't you know when to leave when someone tells you to?" the rabbit snapped, his impatience flaring. He started to hop away, but suddenly, he collapsed down, shaking feverishly. The hare hopped close to him and sniffed him again.

"You young leveret," the hare said, shaking his head with concern.

The rabbit hissed, despite the word 'leveret' not being in his vocabulary. He placed a paw in front of him and placed his full weight on it as he tried to get up, his legs shaking. He hadn't even dragged his hind legs up when he fell back down again, coughing.

"You're tired, leveret," Thorn said. He licked the young buck carefully on the head. "Come with me. I'll take care of you. You'll be safe for a while until you regain your health."

"I don't need any help," the rabbit growled. He dragged himself up again. His legs quivered, and so did his whole body. Pain shot through him, but he refused to give up. He stubbornly continued to force himself up.

He collapsed once more, and again he tried to get up. His nostrils flared…he grit his teeth tightly, and his eyes, blazing blue, flew wide open. "Embleer Frith…" he cursed under his breath.

Nevertheless, he fell again, grunting in pain. He was too exhausted. He had been wandering around as a _hlessi_ for the past two weeks, and by far he hadn't slept for any longer than four hours every other day. He hadn't eaten much, either. The countryside was full of danger, and he had refused to bring his guard down despite his weakening state. Eating and sleeping, as his mind conveyed to him, would give enemies time to sneak up on him, especially if they took too long. And although he was not afraid of dying now, he was afraid to let himself be killed…

Those rabbits died for his sake! He can't just throw away his life like that after what they did!

Besides, almost every time he slept, he was haunted with dreams of the warren dying…starting out the moment Primrose was lifted up by that hawk, then when each and every one of the rabbits had dropped dead after trying to defend their home. Each time he slept the dreams had become more frightening. He didn't like them. They screamed all the failures he had done so far, and he couldn't take it.

Nevertheless, his body was by no means made of steel, or anything strong, for that matter. No matter what he thought, he was still a four-month old buck…a four-month old kitten. He couldn't handle the tough life, and now, it got the better of him as he could no longer even stand.

He whimpered. Frith, why was he here? Why did Frith let him be in this situation? Provided that Frith was there, of course. Before the warren was attacked, he had never questioned Frith's existence. But his present troubles brought much doubt to his heart. So much doubt.

"Look, young lad," the hare suddenly spoke up. The rabbit bared his teeth grudgingly at Thorn, but the hare patiently ignored his threats. "You're very tired. Admit it. Come on, I'll bring you to my nest."

When the rabbit did not regard what he just said, he sighed. He casually placed his jaws, a bit narrower than a rabbit's, around the young buck's neck, and despite the rabbit's protests, dragged him across the turf.

***

The rabbit had gradually stopped trying to escape and had allowed himself to be hauled off by the larger creature. After a long time, the hare dropped him.

He weakly lifted his head to see where they were. They were still out in the open, but they were now among the long grass. He was in a form.

The hare sat beside him and yawned. "Well, it's still daylight. You go to sleep, leveret. I'll bring you out to silflay later. You look too tired to do now, anyway." He smiled at the rabbit.

The rabbit did not want friendship or companionship. He tried to stand again, but this time, he couldn't even push himself up. His legs had grown too weary, and at this he realized the wisdom in the hare's words. Grunting, he laid his head down and went to sleep again.

***

Thankfully, he did not have any nightmares. He opened his eyes and glanced around his surroundings. He remembered how the hare had literally dragged him to the form. He stretched his neck out towards the grass wall and sniffed.

"You can get up now?"

He turned around and saw the hare, who was looking up at the sky. It was a peculiar behavior, and he tilted his head, confused.

The hare chuckled as he saw the young rabbit's perplexed appearance. "You see those bright things up there?" the hare asked. "They always thought I was stupid every time I asked them what those things were. Most of us never really bother to look, see? I asked an old hare living in this area once, though, and he told me they were stars. Strange word, right?" He stifled another chuckle. "Come on, you're probably hungry, huh? Don't bother eating those grass there. Not only will it destroy my home, they aren't worth eating, I tell you. I tried it before."

He hopped close to the rabbit and nudged him. The rabbit yawned and got up easily.

"Good, good," the hare praised him warmly. "Elahrairah would be proud of you. I'll show you good silflay grounds."

When the rabbit had managed to hop, with a bit of difficulty, he slowly led him across well-hidden trails laid out in the grass. The rabbit could not help but wonder at the way hares lived. Silf was their warren. Whereas they rabbits were useless unless they were underground.

The grass was shorter where Thorn led him. There, Thorn stamped his foot and said, "Eat up. Fill yourself up to the ears. You need it."

"Hey Thorn!" somebody suddenly called out. Thorn lifted his ears and stood up on his long hind legs. A few figures were scattered about in the grass. He smiled.

"Hey, that you, Grain?" he called back.

One of the figures lollopped towards him. "How are you?" Grain asked. It was another hare buck, almost of the same size as Thorn was, although a bit bulkier.

"Fine, fine," Thorn told him, cleaning his muzzle eagerly. "Although I haven't found any free does yet."

"Free? Remember you have to fight for them, you dope!" Grain told him, chuckling. "No wonder you never found a doe your whole life!"

Thorn shrugged, smiling still. "You know I never was a fighter." He looked down at the grass and grabbed some grass, chewing it slowly.

Grain nodded. "Yeah. I guess so…" His eyes wandered off to where the young gray rabbit was eating quietly, as if oblivious of their presence. "Hey," he suddenly said, sitting up, his front paws dangling down. "What the heck's that?"

Without looking up, Thorn answered, his mouth full of chewed-up grass, "Rabbit."

"Ra…what?" Grain called, surprise. He stamped. "Heck's that doing here?"

"Young leveret's a _hlessi_," his friend replied patiently. "Helped him out. He's weak, you know, and I can't just abandon him like that."

"First off, they're kittens, not leverets," responded Grain, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Don't care," Thorn told him, swallowing his food down. He looked up and yawned.

"And secondly, is this another one of your strange habits? Looking up at the sky and these 'stars' of yours, scouting the area for dangers that you might as well avoid, just for the sake of warning us…" Grain stopped and gave Thorn an angry look. "And now taking care of a rabbit kitten? What's wrong with you?"

"Hey, you already know I'm strange, don't you?" Thorn said calmly. He sighed. "Grain, go mind your own _embleer_ business."

"Oh, Frith in the heavens!" Grain exclaimed, stomping off angrily. "Stupid…moronic…hare…" he muttered.

"Heard that!" yelled Thorn back at him.

"Sure you did!" Grain called.

When Grain was far away, Thorn shrugged and looked at the rabbit. "Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "None of them will actually mind you. That's how we live, see. It's a society but it's not as involved with each other like yours are."

The two ate their fill quickly. When Inlé was right above them, Thorn sighed and said in a tired voice, "I guess we better get back to my form. Let's go, young leveret. We ought not to stay here until _elil_ go about looking for us."

The rabbit watched as he hopped off towards the trail that led to his form. Deciding that he would do good if he stayed with the hare for a while, he trudged along beside him.

The two reached the form after half an hour's lolloping. There, the rabbit crouched down without saying any words. Thorn looked at him compassionately. _Poor chap. He's been through a lot. That look in his eyes told me all. And what he was saying when he dreamt a while back. _Marli_. I never was close to my own mother. _

He scratched a flea off his fur rapidly. Then, he gave a quick smile, one that the rabbit failed to see, but it didn't matter. "You want a story?"

"No," the rabbit said.

"You probably haven't heard it before, but it'll be familiar," the hare assured him.

The rabbit sighed. He looked at the hare. "Fine," he said. He placed his head on his legs and decided to let the hare talk. He won't listen, anyway.

But the hare wasn't about to be put off by his actions. Giving a deep breath, the hare began a story.

**Chapter Within a Chapter: Brotherly Feuds **

"In the past," Thorn began, his ears twitching. "Elahrairah lived with his rabbits in his great warren. It was a peaceful warren, and everybody was very content to live in it as best as they could.'

'However, there was one rabbit who wasn't very content. His name was Sayn. He wanted to start a warren of his own, so he went to a doe and asked her, 'Would you like to leave this warren for a new one?'

''This is a great warren,' the doe answered. 'Why would I want to leave?''

'Sayn did not give up. He met a buck, and asked him the same question. 'Would you like to leave this warren for a new one?'

''Elahrairah is a great Chief, and we have kind Owsla,' the buck said. 'Why would I want to leave?'

'Sayn continued to hop around the field. Then, he met another doe. 'Would you like to leave this warren for a new one?' he asked, with renewed hope." Thorn paused for a while and looked at the rabbit. The rabbit's head was still on his legs, but his ears were drawn back, a sign that indicated he was listening. He gave a quick smile. _That's nice, little leveret. Listen to the story and remove your troubles for a while. _

"Ahem!" he continued. "'_Flay_ is in season. Why would I want to leave?' the doe answered him.'

'Sayn went back to his burrow, very sad. He still wanted to leave the warren despite all of this, but he didn't want to leave on his own. It happened then that a buck and a doe passed by. They noticed their friend Sayn looking very depressed, and so they asked him, 'Sayn, what is the matter with you?'

'Sayn looked at them and suddenly thought to ask them. 'You two. Would you like to leave this warren for a new one?'

'The buck regarded his question thoughtfully because Sayn was his friend and a very sensible rabbit, to boot. Then, he asked, 'Are you planning to leave?''

''Yes, as a matter of fact, I am,' Sayn told him truthfully. 'I will make a new warren and it will be better than this one. Would you like to come with me?''

''It sounds good,' his friend said.'

''Yes, it does,' the doe said as well.'

'Sayn was very pleased. He and his two friends then began a search for anyone who wanted to come with them. It turned out there were a few more that liked the idea.'

'It was then that Rabscuttle, Elahrairah's Captain of the Owsla, heard news about this. He was obviously very distressed and one day, he talked to Elahrairah about it. 'Elahrairah,' he said. 'That traitor Sayn is gathering rabbits to leave this warren to start his own.''

'Elahrairah wasn't very happy, either. He found Sayn and asked him, 'Why do you want to leave this warren? Is it not good enough for you?''

''Elahrairah,' Sayn said. 'It is a great warren, to be sure, but rabbits have to leave some time or another. I plan to make a better warren than this. You have no right to stop us.''

''So I don't,' Elahrairah said. 'Well, then leave,' he added angrily. 'And don't come back.''

'Sayn left with his rabbits, _hrair_ of them. Elahrairah was very angry but he did not do anything to stop them.'

'So Sayn was eventually known as Saynrah. He and his rabbits tried to find a home. They wandered around, but many of the rabbits died because of _elil_ and Saynrah's companions started to wonder if he was as good a Chief as he claimed to be. He could defend himself well from _elil_ but he failed to defend the others."

"I was…" the rabbit suddenly started.

Thorn stopped talking and looked at him. "What was it, leveret?"

"Supposed to be our Chief," the rabbit continued. He didn't look at the hare. He was looking at the grass, his eyes twinkling as the memories rushed in again. "But I failed the warren. They all died…and I couldn't do a thing to save them…"

"Hush, leveret," Thorn soothed him with his words. "I will continue the story. Perhaps you will learn something." _Poor leveret. So that's what's been bugging him. Forgive me, leveret, I can feel your sadness, but I can never understand it. We never have Chiefs, you see. _

"When many had died, the rest of them started rebelling against Saynrah. It was so that they separated from each other, leaving Saynrah very sad and very helpless. He constantly feared _elil_. And when he did see them, he could barely escape them. He wished he could dig a hole but he could not, because he didn't have anyone to help him, you see?'

'One day, when Saynrah could not stand it any more, he looked up at the sky and called, 'Lord Frith! I pray, help me out!' He waited. Then, 'Lord Frith! Hear my prayer, Frithrah! Your servant wishes for your help!'

'Then, Frith's voice appeared. 'What do you pray for, Sayn?'

''I ask for Your help, Frith. I cannot survive alone in these woods, and yet I cannot return to Elahrairah's warren, and neither could the rabbits that have left me. I know I was wrong to leave, Frithrah! I know now. May You help us survive without coming back?''

''I may,' Frith suddenly said. 'From now on, Saynrah, you and your rabbits will no longer be rabbits. You will be hares. A swift creature, swifter than the rabbit. You now can outrun your enemies, and you can outrun them longer. You will grow larger to cope with your new environment. Your ears will catch the faintest sound…your noses will sense the nearest scent. You will no longer need to dig a burrow because of these gifts.''

''And yet, Saynrah, you deserve a punishment for leaving Elahrairah's warren and putting the rabbits in danger. Your children will be born with eyes and with fur and with the power to leave as soon as they were, like before, only they will be smaller. And you will not be granted the gift to stay with them for a long time. Only see them every now and then. And Sayn, because you have proven yourself to be of no good a Chief, you will no longer be a Chief, and neither will any of the others. You will now live alone, separate from each other. No longer will you have a warren.''

'Saynrah accepted Frith's wise prepositions. Henceforth, we are what they call 'hares'."

**Back to Chapter 6**

Thorn ended the story. It wasn't the favorite of the hare creation stories in their society, but he liked it anyway. He looked at the now-confused rabbit and told him, "You said you were supposed to be a Chief and yet you failed them? You cannot be a hare. You are a rabbit, and Frith will not make you into a hare because He already has made others. You are a rabbit, and unlike us, you need companions, young leveret."

He smiled, looking up at the way Frith was beginning to rise. "It is dawn. There is a warren nearby. Go and join it, leveret. I'll bring you to it myself."

"Why?" the rabbit asked.

"If you cannot be a Chief, then you must at least try to be an ordinary rabbit," Thorn told him, smiling.

The rabbit sat up, suddenly finding his strength back to him. "But what if…I cannot become?"

"Do not bother yourself with such questions unless you actually find out," Thorn told him, leading him down the trails again. "But lad, if you…_if_ you think you can't handle such a life, then at least grow there. Until you become tough enough to live as _hlessi_ on your own!" He chuckled loudly.

The rabbit looked at him and nodded. Perhaps he'd try that.

***

They reached the bottom of a hill. There, the hare gave him a nudge. "Go on, leveret. Go and find yourself."

The rabbit started hopping up. But before he disappeared completely out of sight, he looked back at the hare, who smiled widely.


	7. Trying and Troubles

**7**** – Trying and Troubles **

The young rabbit paused for a moment, his ears perked up. Two sentries…he could tell just by looking at the scars…were posted nearby. Swallowing, he hopped towards them and sat down.

One sentry looked at the young rabbit. "What are you doing here?" he asked, regarding the gray rabbit curiously. "Go away."

The other sentry nodded. The young rabbit cocked his head to look at it, and sniffed. It was a doe. He hadn't seen a doe as a sentry before. Back in Forest, they were strictly ordinary rabbits only, with the one or two exceptions that were fast enough to become runners. But they certainly never made it into the Owsla.

However, it did not bother him a lot. "I wish to talk to your Chief," the rabbit said, turning his head away from the doe and looking straight at the buck.

"You are not allowed into our premises," the buck said harshly, stamping his leg as a warning. He had a blaze across his forehead, much like Dog's-Tail's. "Who do you think you are, going here and demanding our Chief?"

The rabbit was not used to being spoken at harshly by mere sentries, and for a moment, a flash of royal pride came into him as he retorted back, "Heck's that supposed to…"

He hadn't even finished when another rabbit came into view. The rabbit was of medium built, and unlike the sentry he had just spoken to, appeared to have a seemingly gentle face. "What is wrong here?" the rabbit asked, sitting beside the sentry and looking at him sternly.

"A _hlessi_, sir," the sentry answered. His voice lacked the necessary respect that every single rabbit should have when talking to someone of higher status. His eyes showed no different. They were smoldering, as if the sentry hated this new rabbit with every single fiber of his body.

The new rabbit sighed, before turning to the younger rabbit. "Don't mind him," he said in a gentle voice. "Are you going to join this warren? You're welcomed to if you want." He peered at the young rabbit cautiously.

The rabbit gave him a puzzled look. Join the warren? He _ was_ planning to do that, after Thorn had easily convinced him to, but he had no idea some warrens actually _invited_ rabbits to join. From what he'd heard, and from what he knew, warrens generally did not like _hlessi_ bounding in to join them. Letting them live in the warren took plenty of thinking.

But it was all the more better for him, he thought. He nodded.

"I am Chief of this warren," the other rabbit said. He turned around and hopped forward, leaving the sentries' post. The younger rabbit followed him, his ears rotating back and forth.

"My name is Moonstar-rah," the Chief finally said, pausing in front of a hole entrance and sitting down, a smile planted on his face. "You?"

"N…" he started. Then, he stopped, thinking. "Ghost," he then said, looking up at the Chief with the equally strange name, for a rabbit. "My name is Ghost," he repeated, as if to assure Moonstar in case he was dubious. Or was he assuring himself? He had no idea.

But it seemed Moonstar was not dubious. The rabbit smiled at him again, tipping his head forward. "Welcome to this warren then, lad." He then hopped towards the hole, leaving Ghost all alone.

The young rabbit looked around the warren. It did not look so bad, but that wasn't what bothered him. In fact, nothing about the warren bothered him. What bothered him was the thought of whether he could settle in a warren as an ordinary rabbit, or not?

He limped towards a nearby tree. There, he sat down and cleaned his face. As he did so, his paws suddenly came into contact with his face. Trembling, he squinted. He had sight in his right eye for a few days now. The wound had completely dried up, leaving a long strip of clotted blood across it. The hawk…

Ghost crouched down and looked at the grass. He wasn't hungry. Rather, he was thinking. That hawk…it was connected to everything, like a network of runs. The hawk to Primrose's death. Primrose's death to him being a Chief. Him being a Chief to the rabbits dying for him. The rabbits dying for him to the warren's destruction. The warren's destruction, to his sorrow.

He fell asleep again, out _silf_. For a while, he was in peace, his mind not taunted by the seemingly endless torrents of grief, anger, and depression. No one disturbed him. He slept for some time, and would have slept more, had it not been bothered by another dream.

It was worse, this time. There was a rabbit. A rabbit that was black, and it scared him so much he ran. He ran, but the rabbit seemed to stay behind him, like he was not moving at all. He jerked his head towards the rabbit, and the rabbit became no more than a shadow…a shadow with flaring eyes.

And then, the shadow said, "You killed them! You brought me to them!"

He ran wildly, but the rabbit remained behind him. He then leaped over a cliff and landed on top of a rabbit. Mad with anger, he tore upon the rabbit angrily. When he drew back, he saw with horror that it was his _ marli_.

"No…" he wailed, stepping back from the bloodied body. The blood suddenly seemed to whirl around him, and everything became red. The smell of blood was strong and he retched all over the ground. Then, he squealed.

"You brought me to them…" the shadow said. He gasped, turning around to see the black rabbit-shadow behind him. "It was all your fault…"

He stood up in alarm. Another dream. Another damn dream! He shook his head, and realized his body was trembling. When will this stop? When will it all stop!?

He rose from where he had slept for the past two hours and shook himself, the dream still not completely leaving his mind. He could still smell the blood, and it made him dizzy. He sat down, looking around the place groggily. Several rabbits were hopping about the grass in front of him, as if oblivious of his presence.

He flicked his ears, watching them carefully. A couple of rabbits were not far from him. One was of a light gray color. Both rabbits were moving their paws across the grass, and he squinted, curious as to what they were doing.

"Hrair," one rabbit, the one with the pale gray fur, said.

The other rabbit sighed. "Ye always say _hrair_."

"Well, they are _hrair_, aren't they, Stormecloud?" the rabbit asked.

The other sighed, revealing the stones under his forepaw. There were five of them. _Hrair_. Exactly what the pale gray rabbit said.

"See?" the gray rabbit said excitedly. He grinned at Stormecloud widely.

"T'is not fair," Stormecloud told him, scratching one of his ears quickly. "Aye, ye ought to say somethin' else, like, they all be whitish, grayish, sort of rough…" He paused and peered at the stones carefully. "It be the rules," he finally concluded.

The other rabbit yawned, crouching down the grass and tilting his head at the stones. "Well, they're boring, that's what," he said, looking up at Stormecloud. He had given up on bob-stones. Their concept is very…boring. He yawned again. "I say, someone come up here and tell us a story! That ought to be good." He turned around and looked at Ghost, noticing him for the first time. He flicked his ears, nose quivering as he caught a whiff of the young rabbit's scent.

"You new here?" the pale gray rabbit asked. "Come on and tell us a story. Sure should have some interesting ones."

The darker rabbit shrugged, looking away from him and staring placidly on the grass again. He didn't want to say anything, and for a fact, he didn't even know what he should say if he wanted to. He wasn't a storyteller. Neither was he a talker.

"Come on!" the pale gray rabbit suddenly called, again, stamping his hind leg firmly against the grass. "I'm Captain of the Owsla!"

"We have plenty of Captains, Silver," another rabbit said. It was a doe.

"Aye, Hazal's right," Stormecloud said, grinning at Silver. He bent his head over the grass and grabbed a couple of bites. Then, he crunched on the blades hungrily.

"I'm still one, anyway," Silver told him, glaring. "There's nothing you can do about that. I still say he tells a story." He glanced back at the younger rabbit. "Don't you, lad?"

"Stop picking on helpless little rabbits, Silver," Hazal scolded, hopping towards Ghost.

Ghost flinched. _Helpless_. She was right. He was only a helpless little rabbit…no wonder…no wonder he couldn't do anything for his warren. He blinked.

"Don't mind him," Hazal said, sitting beside Ghost. "My name's Hazal. What's yours?"

"Ghost," he answered wearily, not even looking at her. So this was what it was like to be an ordinary rabbit? He sighed. There wasn't a friendly bone in his body. How could he become an ordinary rabbit?

Silver was about to speak when there was the distinct call from the other rabbits. He stood up and quickly hopped over Stormecloud, who was caught by surprise and did not move a single muscle.

The pale gray rabbit moved across the grass swiftly. Several rabbits were coming up the hill…plenty of them. Had there been only one or two _hlessil_, he would have left the matter over to the Chief, who welcomed them with utmost generosity, but there were plenty, and as an officer, it was his duty to see to this. He stopped in front of them, cautiously. "Halt," he said. He looked at the sentry with the white stripe across his head, and told him, "Get the Chief. And be quick."

The sentry snorted, but he obeyed quickly. Silver looked at the _hlessil_ again. They didn't seem hostile. They looked weary, as if they have traveled far, but he wasn't going to take any chances. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he asked harshly.

One of the rabbits stepped up. "We are from a distant warren and stumbled upon this place quite by accident. We wish to talk to your Chief so we could join this place."

***

Hazal had abandoned Ghost. He hadn't talked to her even after she had nagged him to do so for more than six times already. She was sitting down a few meters away from the new _hlessil_, watching them with sudden interest. And then, she started trembling.

She had no idea why, but fear suddenly flowed through her veins. Her eyes were wide open, and she gave a tiny squeal.

Memories far too painful…fear…she was afraid of these _ hlessil_. Would they destroy this warren? They couldn't! They shouldn't! And she wasn't going to let them! She gave a tiny squeal, and blindly barreled her way into the nearest _hlessi_. Memories…memories were painful…

She slashed, although she could not see what she was doing. _No! You're not going to destroy this warren!_ She cuffed the rabbit across the head, hard.

"Hazal! Get a hold of yourself!" Silver cried. He tackled her off the unmoving _hlessi_. She did not fight him. She was quivering, her snout covered with blood. Like a rabbit choking in a snare…

"Not…going…to…" she muttered, before slumping down, unconscious.

"Frith and Inlé!" Silver exclaimed. He turned around to sniff at the _hlessi_ she just attacked. It was dead. He shook his head angrily, and looked up, just in time to meet the eyes of the _hlessi_'s leader.

"What the heck was that?" the _hlessi_ asked, snorting.

"I…" Silver started. He was confused at the sudden events. Hazal had just killed a _hlessi_…but why? He hopped back towards the doe to inspect her. She was still out.

"Captain Silver!" came the sudden voice. He lifted his head, his ears perked up. It was their Chief. Moonstar walked over to the nearest hlessi. He sniffed noses with the rabbit, then turned his head over to the dead hlessi. "What is the meaning of this?" he remarked passively.

Silver sat up. "It's the doe Hazal, sir. She acted all weird then attacked this _hlessi_." He wiggled his nose.

"Shall I arrest her, sir?" one rabbit asked. Silver turned his head towards him, and instantly recognized Grape, one of their Owsla Captains, of the same rank as he. Grape was a doe, just one of the many that this warren had, and she walked over to the unconscious Hazal and sniffed her. "Well?" she inquired, lifting her head and looking back at Moonstar.

"Forget about it, Captain Grape," Moonstar said. He turned back to the _hlessi_. "What is it you want from my warren?"

The hlessi shook his head. "I was going to ask to join it…" he muttered. He shook his head again, looking at Moonstar straight in the eyes after thus. "But…"

"This is merely an accident," Moonstar said quietly. "No one is to blame. I assure you this will not happen again."

"Frith in a man's burrow…" the _hlessi_ silently muttered. He looked back over at his rabbits, debating as to whether to stay, or leave. Leaving was the most practical choice, but as his eyes gazed upon them, he realized how tired they were. He sighed. "Fine," he finally said.

Moonstar nodded at this, and quickly left them.

"But what about…" Grape started, looking over at him. She shrugged as she realized he didn't hear what she just said. She glanced over at Hazal again, and snorted. "Captain Silver, get a few rabbits to clean this up. Elil will come barging in on us if we leave it like this."

"You have no right to order me around," Silver quickly snapped.

Grape sighed. "Come on! What's the sensible thing to do?"

Silver paused and thought about it. Finally, he gave a loud sigh. "Okay, okay," he said. He stopped in front of Hazal and grabbed her by the nape of the neck, dragging her away from the site.

***

"Hazal, what may be the reason that ye did that?" Stormecloud asked her later on, when she had fully regained her senses. The buck stared at his friend, his eyes gentle.

Hazal shrugged, her head bowed down. "I…" she garbled.

"Don't worry, lass," Stormecloud quickly interrupted as he realized there was something wrong. He sat up and scratched his neck. "I have to go check the patrols. Being patrol leader certainly is no easy job." Smiling, so to tell her that he was on her side, he slowly hopped away.

Her ears drooped down to her side as she gave a big sigh. Her eyes glanced down at the grass again. She didn't really want to kill that rabbit! Frith, what came over her?

"Your Chief didn't do anything."

She turned her head around and saw the young rabbit, Ghost. She had not realized he was there. In fact, she could have sworn she never heard him coming. She flicked her ears and answered, sadly, "Yeah…"

Ghost shivered, the wind suddenly blowing upon them. He glanced across the horizon and quickly concluded that it was almost evening. He sniffled. "And that wasn't a wise decision," he added. His voice was cold. It did not sympathize with Hazal's current problems.

She scratched the ground with a paw, then smacked it with frustration. "I didn't know…" she said, grimacing. "I didn't know I was going to do that until…until I did…I thought…I thought they were going to destroy this warren…Frith, Frith, my other warrens have been destroyed already! Won't this ever stop haunting me?!"

Ghost flicked his ears. So, this rabbit's warren was destroyed too. He glanced at her momentarily, before looking back at the horizon, watching Frith set as the night finally settled in. "The past…" he said, making her look at him curiously. "I understand," he told her. "And Frith does not exist."

"How can you say that?" Hazal asked him in shock.

He shrugged. "Because of experience," he replied. He stood up and started towards the holes.

***

He didn't sleep, he couldn't sleep. The night was cold and it was only after a few minutes of moping around the empty burrow he had found that he realized he was hungry. He sighed and walked out of the burrow, glancing across the dark run to see if anybody was there. It was empty.

Slowly, he hopped across the whole length of it, his mind clouded with the same thoughts that had troubled him. Too many thoughts. He sat down and scratched an ear, trying to make his mind wander off to something else. He finally resigned to looking at an adjoining run. There were no rabbits there, either. Where could they be?

He gave a deep sigh as he reached the end of the run. Yawning, he climbed out of the hole.

He turned his head to the right and sniffed. In the moonlight, he could see plenty of rabbits, all crouched down around something. He'd seen these sort of things before. Usually, some rabbit was giving a story that attracted plenty of attention. He hadn't paid much notice to them before, and it was actually only once or twice that he had actually listened to a full story on occasions such as these.

This time, he decided he ought to try and listen. Perhaps it would make him think of other things. He sat down beside a rabbit, who glanced at him quickly, but he did not take heed. His full attention was directed toward the storyteller.

It seemed he had missed the story, however, as one rabbit from the small group suddenly called out, "Weren't you scared, Nightshade?"

Ghost stopped. _Curse that name, _he muttered, slinking away from the group of rabbits. He sat down beside the tree and suddenly shivered. His mind drifted away from the present moment. His past, the horrifying past, started to haunt him again…

The fear during the hawk's attack. The pain in his right eye as the hawk's talon slashed it across, marking him forever. He could still feel the pain. But that did not compare to the pain he felt when Primrose had tackled him to safety, getting taken by the hawk in return.

Fear, disbelief, and total grief. It was a bad combination, and during that time he had sat there, it ate away at his heart. The ache was awful. It was the kind of ache that came from deep within, somewhere, traveling through your body and making you tremble, until all you wanted to do was to sob. It was the kind of ache that you could not comprehend where it was from, or where it actually hurt, but it was there, and it was real. He hated it, hated the ache then, but he hated it more the moment it had grown worse.

The rabbits were attacking again, in his mind. He did not know how to react then. It was all too sudden. He thought it was unreal…thought at first, that this was just a creation of his mind, already too clouded during Primrose's demise. But it wasn't. He had realized it was real, that it was true, and that he had no other choice but to try to do something…anything…about it.

Then all of these were added with helplessness. Helplessness at the situation unfolding right before his eyes, because he was just a kitten and no matter what he thought, or tried to do, even if he was the Chief, he was helpless, because he was just a kitten and that was the way he was. He wanted to help, to fight alongside those rabbits, but he was not allowed to…he would but he could not, because he was but a kitten, no matter what he thought. His mother had known that. They had all known that. And yet, he rather he had died with them, than have them die for him.

It ached even now. Life's harshness were unfolding right before his very eyes. He did not want to live yet he _had_ to live. Had to. They died for his sake, dammit! The least he could to is make their efforts worth it!

Yet that did nothing to make the situation better, and he quivered as the scenes replayed over and over, over and over, until he could not make out any sense from it at all…until all he could see were the blood, and all he could feel were the grief. He touched his extended forepaw carefully with his nose.

"Are you okay?"

Ghost glanced up and saw Grape. She sat down beside him and looked at him curiously.

"The past," Ghost answered, looking away from her.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" she told him.

"Uh huh."

"Tell you what," Grape said, standing up and looking him in the face. "Don't live in the past. Live in the present. That's the way we all live. That's the way you ought to."

She hopped away, and he sighed, quietly looking at the grass. He suddenly snatched a bite and chewed it thoughtfully. _The present. _He swallowed, and chewed another bite, his ears flicking. _But what if I don't have anything to live for? _

He looked around. Try. He had to try.

He sighed and contented himself to eating for the rest of the night.


	8. In Danger

**8 – In Danger **

"Frith in the skies!"

Coltsfoot trudged along, his feet unbearably aching. "Frithrah," he silently muttered again. Will the suffering never end?

He stopped and looked around, his nose rapidly sniffing the air. There was a sudden crash, and he knew he shouldn't wait to confirm what it was. He had a feeling he knew.

He broke into a gallop. The sounds of everything rushing by as he ran drowned his eminent curses. He hadn't run for more than a minute when he heard the distinct sounds of foxes yapping their hearts out.

"Oh Frith," he groaned, shaking his head. Those foxes had been on his trail since they had first discovered him. "Do they even eat?" he silently asked himself. "I mean, why starve yourself going after a five-month rabbit that wouldn't even be worth a feast?" He sighed, and turned around. Sure enough, he could see the foxes coming right behind him.

He glanced around warily, trying to find some sort of object he could use against them. He saw a hollow trunk nearby, and without thinking twice, dashed up to one side and entered the open hole.

There, he suddenly froze as he saw a _homba_ standing outside the other end, looking at him expectantly, tongue lolling out. It struck him that this wasn't necessarily the smartest thing he had done since he had played a prank on Rowan, which had earned him a series of cuffs and curses from both him and his mother. He turned around, hoping to get out by the way he had come in.

He suddenly stopped, seeing another fox. Gulping, he looked both sides, and by then realized he was trapped.

Yapping, both foxes lunged at him. Horror struck him, and by the reflex that had been built into him by the Owsla, he jumped up, seeing this as the only way to avoid the oncoming jaws.

Coltsfoot succeeded. Both foxes ended up taking a bite out of each other's skin. Grimacing, he landed on one head. He quickly ran across the full length of the fox's body and landed outside. Without bothering to look behind, he continued running.

Frith was kind enough this day, for he immediately saw a river nearby. He quickly hopped towards it and there, he leapt in.

It wasn't particularly deep, and the current was weak, so he managed to swim to the other side without much problem. At the bank, he shook himself before disappearing behind the bush. He peered behind and saw no foxes. He gave a deep sigh of relief. Hopefully, it'd be sometime before they find his scent again. Shaking his fur to rid itself of the remaining drops of water, he scrambled across the field.

There, he paused to fully gather his bearings, although that in itself did not matter much as everything in this land was strange to him. He cleaned his paws while thinking of his next move.

Then, he suddenly felt something. He wasn't sure what it was, but it made him feel uneasy. He jerked his head up in alarm, placing both forepaws down the ground as he looked around. Was there danger? There seemed to be. Yet he could not understand _what_ danger. He could smell nothing. And neither could he hear anything out of the ordinary.

By instinct, he stamped, his eyes glancing around his surroundings. What was it? Panic was rising through his veins. _There's danger! _Something inside him was shouting it to him, yet what was it?

He suddenly ran, not knowing what it was, or where it was from, but he knew he had to run from it…whatever _it_ was. From his surroundings he could suddenly see other animals panicking just like he was. Birds were flying across the air, and so were warning calls.

Coltsfoot had ran for a few minutes now, and he was tired out. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, his eyes seeking answers from around him. Then, it seemed that he did not need any answers, for suddenly, the ground started vibrating in a strange manner.

He looked down, his eyes wide open. Frith, what was this? He glanced around and saw that the whole place was shaking. "What the…" he muttered. Then, realizing this was no time to be cursing, he dashed under a bush for cover.


	9. An End So Soon

**9 – An End So Soon **

The earthquake had come suddenly, but the rabbits had known it even before it had arrived. Panic had risen throughout the whole warren, and Ghost had watched the rabbits carefully, watched the rabbits squealing and the Owsla hopelessly trying to restore order. He glanced around, wearily. Not in the least did he feel any panic. He, too, had felt the impending danger, even before it had come, but he was far too calm to act the same way as the others did.

He cautiously stepped under a tree, watching the commotion with waning interest. He had planned to stay in the same spot through the rest of the earth shake, but suddenly, he felt the tree creak. He hopped around and looked at it carefully. Then, he dashed up towards the rabbits, yelling, "Get out of the way!"

Unfortunately, during his whole three-week stay in the warren the hare had brought him to, he had known relatively little rabbits, and had not made a single friend. That was why his sudden yell of warning was not taken as seriously as some of the rabbits ought to have had.

He groaned as he saw this coming. Spotting a hole, he dashed towards it and crouched down beside a couple of bucks. There, they saw the tree suddenly crash down towards the group of rabbits Ghost had tried to warn.

The shaking suddenly stopped, but none of the rabbits dared move a muscle. For some time, they all stood there, _tharn_. It was then that Silver, who had seen all that had happened from the run, said, "Frithrah! Hey, you, there!" He glared at one buck. "Get Captain Grape here immediately! If there's anyone alive in that mess…" He sighed and hopped over Ghost, who flattened himself against the sides of the burrow in order to let him pass.

Silver hopped towards the fallen tree and paused to inspect it. He sighed, shaking his head. A huge number of rabbits had been trapped beneath the trunk, and as much as he wanted to help them, there was nothing he could at all to do so.

He lifted his ears, flicking them as he watched several rabbits hop off from the tree, mostly unhurt but very shaken at the tragedy that had just befallen their companions. He hopped over to them to check their conditions.

"Well, I guess Moonstar-rah will have a nice surprise once he gets back," one rabbit commented sarcastically. Silver saw the officer eyeing the mess sadly. He was right. Moonstar, it seemed, had left earlier, with one of the Captains, keeping a fox under surveillance after it had settled around the area.

"Yeah," Silver said. He gave a deep sigh, then scowled at the rabbit. "But no use crying over that now. Is Captain Grape coming here or what?!"

"I'm here," replied the doe, appearing in the scene. She tilted her head, gazing at the tree. "Frithrah! As if we didn't have enough messes in this warren already!"

"Captains!"

Grape and Silver turned around and saw a rabbit running towards them, panting and out of breath. "Your…the messes…you were talking about…they ain't big enough. Blaze has started a rampage! He's taking…over!"

***

Moonstar looked around his surroundings uneasily. The feeling of dread has not yet left his heart, even after the shaking had passed. He hopped forward, ears stooping straight up, as he glanced here and there.

"Chief?"

"It's okay," Moonstar reassured the rabbit, although he certainly did not think the situation was in any way satisfactory. He approached a fallen tree, placed both paws on the trunk carefully, then lowered his head, sniffing it with uncertainty.

Then, the awful smell of the fox entered his nostrils. He spun around in panic, and sure enough, he could see the creature's gleaming yellow eyes from behind the bush…right behind his Captain of Owsla. The rabbit did not seem to notice.

He knew, somehow, that he should not stand here and wait for his faithful companion to be consumed. In a blinding flash, he ran towards the rabbit, knocking him out of the way. He then looked up, his mouth agape, as he realized the dread in his current situation…a situation that he knew there was no turning back from.

The fox's jaws snapped around his back. A squeal sounded through the air, and his Captain stared at him in horror. "Why?" he asked, watching as the _homba_ carted his Chief away. Why did his Chief save him?

He stood there, watching as the fox disappeared. He couldn't believe it. His Chief…he was just here a moment ago!

It took some time for him to snap out of his paralyzed state, and when he did, he limped back towards the warren's direction remorsefully, his head down. "Don't worry, Chief," he silently muttered. "Your name won't be forgotten among us. Certainly not by me."

***

"This has got to be the worst day ever," Hazal commented, eyeing the angry officers posted outside the burrows. "First an earthquake, then the Rah turns out missing, and now this…a takeover."

"Cheer up, lass," Stormecloud told her, sitting up. "It could be worse."

"Tell me Stormecloud," Silver groaned. "HOW could it be worse? They literally stripped me off my position! I'm a Captain, dang it!" He kicked the run's walls with both hind legs, shaking in anger. "I worked soooooo hard for this position!" He glanced at a rabbit called Burdock, and scowled at him. "What are you lookin' at?"

"We could try to get out," Hazal suddenly said in a low voice. The rabbits looked at her, their ears perked up.

Silver stamped his hind leg. "Go on," he said, smirking. "I'm waiting."

"Look, you're a fully capable fighter, aren't you?" she asked, staring straight at the gray rabbit.

The rabbit shrugged. "I guess so," he said. Then, he pricked his ears. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Hazal hopped near the entrance of the run and silently pointed at the sentries. "You. Attack. We run. You run."

"Hey, isn't that like risking myself in the process?" Silver suddenly inquired angrily.

The doe grinned at him. "Yes."

"Oh Frith!" Silver exclaimed. He turned around and saw the other rabbits' eager gazes at him. "Oh Frith!" he repeated, stamping his foot.

"Come on, you're a Captain, aren't you?" Hazal protested. "You know…responsibilities, responsibilities."

"Okay, okay," Silver cried. He hopped towards Burdock and yanked him across the run. "You sir, are going to help me," he said in a very angry manner. It was apparent he wasn't that willing to undergo Hazal's plans, but to be blunt, it was good enough for him. Standing around there, doing nothing, was not something he liked to do.

"Ye lad, ye should come with us," Stormecloud suddenly piped up. He turned his head towards a young buck crouching in a corner, oblivious of their actions. He hopped beside him and poked him with his nose. "It will do ye no good to stay here."

Ghost nodded faintly, hopping close to him.

It was then that they heard Silver yell.

The hefty rabbit barreled himself straight at the nearest sentry, aiming a heavy cuff across the rabbit's head. This he did without any trouble. The rabbit, having have caught off guard, proved to be no worthy adversary. He removed his attentions from the unconscious rabbit in order to go after the next, and as he did so, he cried, "Come on, get moving!"

Hazal peered out of the hole and quickly hopped after him, followed by Stormecloud and Ghost. The rabbits ran down the hill, towards the direction of the nearby woods. It wasn't long before they heard Silver and Burdock panting behind them.

"That…" Silver exclaimed, a tiny cut located on his cheek bleeding profusely. "Went so well."

"You could have thought Blaze would have had more power," Burdock cut in.

The rabbits stopped near the edge of the wood. There, they looked at each other uneasily. Ghost, specifically, looked at _them_ uneasily. He wasn't pleased at the current events. Not only had things not worked out for him as an ordinary rabbit, but neither would it be possible for him now to try any further. The sentry that had disliked Moonstar terribly, or so he thought, had taken over the warren.

He closed his eyes, trying to absorb all the past few days' quick events as best as he could. He was confused. Too confused.

As he thought about things, the past few days in the warren drifted back into his memory. Days and nights crouching somewhere, listening to others talk, never taking any heed to what they were saying. Was…was that how an ordinary rabbit was supposed to live? He had tried to make friends, but…

_"Oh FRITH! YOUR EYES! Frithrah, what's with the eyes?" _

His eyes. He had never been made fun of them before…technically, they weren't _that _strange, but they _were_ strange, in a way. He sighed. He had never tried again, after that…

The events had all been too sudden… 

Just like his warren's loss. 

In the flash of an eye, everything was gone…

Like everything in life…

"Frith, I should have known."

He opened his eyes and wearily turned his head to the one who just spoke. It was Hazal, and she sounded distraught. "They invaded the warren, anyway," she said, her eyes gazing downward. "Not the _hlessi_…but our warren's destroyed, anyway…" She glanced at her equally devastated companions. "I'm sorry I killed that rabbit…oh Frith, it weren't them…it weren't them after all…it was…"

"Hazal, don't feel so sorry," Burdock reassured her. "It's not your fault. None of us blame you." He stood up, sniffing the air. "But now what do we do?"

"We have to find a way to get at Blaze," Silver said roughly. He stamped his foot decisively. "That warren's far too damn good to leave at the hands of someone like _him_."

The rabbit stopped talking and glanced at each other worriedly, the fear in their hearts increasing by each second. The silence was unbearable. Finally, Burdock started to say something, but he stopped once he heard a wailing. He hopped forward, his ears pricked up. "What the heck's that?" he asked. His nose quivered.

"Why…" Silver muttered, his own nostrils filling with a familiar smell. He lashed forward, overtaking Burdock. In his frenzy, he accidentally tumbled down a small slope and landed on the ground roughly, although unharmed.

Grumbling, he stood up and hopped towards a mass of fur he could see a few meters away. Upon reaching it, he bent over, touching it gently with his nose, and said in an anxious voice, "Captain Grape?"

Grape's eyes flickered at Silver's voice. Her whiskers quivered. Then, she lifted her head, and with half-closed eyes, asked, "Sil…ver?"

Silver turned his head over to the rest of the rabbits and cried, "Get over here! This is no time to stay and chat!"

At his quick order, the rabbits climbed down the slope. Only Ghost remained. He peered down at them, but he did not bother to follow them. Rather, his ears strained to hear what they were saying.

"Snowflake," Grape was telling Silver. "He's…he's going to fight Blaze. Says Moonstar's gone. _Homba_ took him." She sniffled.

"Oh Frith…" Silver muttered. He licked his lips thoughtfully. "Well," he quickly added, looking up. "I'm going back. Who's comin' with me?" He grinned at them as best as he could.

Hazal stepped forward. "I'll," she said slowly, her face soft.

Silver nodded at her. "And Stormecloud?"

Stormecloud suddenly shook his head, which made Silver confused. This rabbit was always the optimistic one. "There is this nearby warren," Stormecloud said, looking up at him. "I heard that it is peaceful. Ye are going back? It will be hard to overtake the warren again, ye can be sure. I wish not to be involved…with a war." He sighed. "I hope ye can understand."

Grape suddenly nodded her head. She forced herself to stand up. "I'm going with Stormecloud."

"Grape?" Silver inquired. "You too?" He stamped his leg with frustration.

"Snowflake doesn't exactly have the means to win this," Grape told him sharply. She flicked her ears.

Silver sighed again, his ears drooping. "Well, I guess I can't stop you lots," he said simply. He took a step. "I'll see you around. Come on, Hazal. And Burdock, if you're going, then get going."

Burdock watched the two rabbits set back towards the warren, then he ran after them, yelling, "Captain Silver!" He finally caught up and the three rabbits disappeared behind a hedge.

Stormecloud stood up and glanced at Grape. "You can walk?"

"Think I can," Grape answered. She looked up at Ghost. "You coming with us?"

Ghost shook his head. "I…" he started, before shaking his head again. He glanced at the vast fields in the distance. "I can't join a warren yet." _There are many things I have to know. Things I have to find out. Besides, I'm not cut out to become a rabbit. _

She nodded, understandingly. "We'll leave you then. Frith take care of you, young one." She stood up and limped after Stormecloud.

***

He'd seen no sign of the foxes for the past few hours and Coltsfoot was immensely glad of the fact. He'd prayed to Frith, prayed until he felt like he could pray anymore, to send them away, and now his prayers were answered. His gait showed his happiness at the moment, and so did his bright face.

He stopped for a moment, his eyes squinting. Was that what he think it was? A gray rabbit was crouching near the edge of the wood, oblivious of everything around him. He raised a paw and curiously sniffed the air.

Then, he hopped towards the rabbit quickly, his ears bouncing up and down. The rabbit turned around and looked at him sharply.

"Frith answered my prayers! Thank be to Frith!" Coltsfoot yelled, hopping towards Ghost and smiling at him. "You're alive, you're alive!" He stopped in front of him, his eyes bright with delight, for he had been taught that his Chief was every Owsla's life and that teaching was grafted into his heart well. Then, he sat up, his paws dangling down, as he tilted his head to his side to take a good look at him to confirm that it truly was his long-lost master.

Whether Ghost was surprised with Coltsfoot's sudden appearance or not was not shown in his face, which remained calm, an ear slightly twitching. "It's you," he said in a cold tone. He didn't seem to be pleased at all with seeing Coltsfoot, but the cream-colored buck knew better.

Coltsfoot smiled at him widely. "Yep," he answered. Excitement left his system and he sat down. "So what happened?" he mused, although he greatly doubted that his master was willing to say anything. He never was the one who liked to talk.

And according to his expectations, Ghost only shrugged. "Not much," he answered, scratching an ear.

"Night…" Coltsfoot started, and then stopped himself, regarding his words. He had told him before to stop calling him that, and he glanced at the gray-coated rabbit.

The buck stood up. "It's Ghost now," he said in a melancholic voice. _A ghost. A ghost of the past. _He gazed at Coltsfoot for a moment, then added, "Are we going? Rabbits that stay in one place don't stay alive for long."

"Yes sir," agreed the other quickly, overcoming his amazement as quick as it came. He paused for a moment to lick his shoulder, then, he quickly followed after Ghost, glad that he wasn't alone again.

Things in life happen so soon.


	10. These Strange Creatures

**10**** – These Strange Creatures **

A few days passed by without incident, and the two rabbits, young as they were, had been living out well. The open was, in truth, no place for any rabbit, but for them the fact was largely false. Their individual early training…as a Rah, and as an Owsla, had not been in vain, for their instincts and senses were highly developed, with the possible exception of Coltsfoot's hearing, due to his mauled ears. But for the most part, the two did not meet any danger. Elil passed by and it was rare that they get discovered, and when they were, running away and hiding were but basic things to do. In short, they were in no trouble.

But this did not make things any better, for as things come by, Ghost was by no means happy. The nightmares were still there, terrorizing him in his sleep, and it tortured him even when he was awake. He was in the same state as he was before he joined the warren, and yet he knew he would not return, and neither did he search for a new one. Life as a _hlessi_ was dangerous. Yet it provided him some sort of way to live, some sort of meaning to his meaningless life, little and senseless as it may be.

Coltsfoot was taking things easier. He was, by nature, a simple-minded rabbit, in the sense that he lived and never thought about why he lived, and was glad of that way. His dreams consisted of _flayrah_ and wide open spaces to run around in, and very rarely did he dream of the past, and when he did, they were not as intense as Ghost's, so neither did they affect him the same way it affected the gray rabbit.

The two were eating grass beside a fence, wary of their surroundings, but not in the least nervous. Coltsfoot had just swallowed his food and had risen to his hind legs, surveying the area with curiosity. Then, he glanced up at a nearby house, and happened to see an open door. "Hey there," he said.

Ghost stopped chewing and glanced at him momentarily. Then, he returned to his food.

"Look, it's a man-den," Coltsfoot stated.

"I know that," Ghost replied. He looked up at him again. "They're called houses."

"Who told you?" Coltsfoot asked, sniffing the fence with interest.

"Primrose-rah," Ghost said, before looking back down at his food and picking a single blade.

Coltsfoot shrugged. "I thought they were called farms."

His master sighed. "They're the same."

"Man-dens then," Coltsfoot quickly stated. He sat down and scratched an ear fiercely. "Want to explore it?"

Ghost gave him a strange look. After a few seconds, he said, simply, "You cracked-up nutcase."

Hardly insulted, Coltsfoot grinned widely at him. "I've always been curious," he said, glancing back at the house. "Of how these man-dens are. And the opportunity is right in front of our eyes. Can't you see it?"

Ghost gave a snorting sound, clearly showing that he wasn't very fanatical about Coltsfoot's idea. "It's stupid," he plainly said. "You'll die."

"No I won't," Coltsfoot said. He took a step, then poked his head under the fence. Then, he proceeded to put both front legs forward and dragged the lower half of his body.

Once on the other side, he quickly lopped towards the house. In the garden, he paused.

Ghost caught up with him. Glaring at the rabbit as best as he could, he uttered, "Of all your crazy ideas, this has got to be the worst."

"I smell no dogs, no cats, no humans," Coltsfoot argued, his nose quivering. "How could it be dangerous, sir?" He added the last part to assure Ghost that he wasn't rebelling by any means.

"Nay, that does not mean it is not dangerous." Ghost alleged. He stamped his foot. "And what would a rabbit be doing in a man-den? A house? It's not natural."

"I'm in for some sort of adventure, sir," held Coltsfoot. He sighed. "Then I can go in alone, right? You don't have anything against that?"

"Yes I have," Ghost retorted hotly. "You think I'd allow a rabbit to die when I'm around? Not unless I want to kill them." Responsibilities were weighing on him even now. Life wasn't fair. And he knew it well, but he held nothing against it. Primrose would have wanted it that way.

"Let's just check, then come back out, right? It might help us some day." Coltsfoot hopped towards the door and cautiously peered inside.

"I don't see how," Ghost said, but he wasn't that totally against Coltsfoot's crazy preposition. Despite it all he still had the adventurous spirit most rabbits had. He followed Coltsfoot inside the house and looked around, awed.

He could not make out much of the surroundings, but he could tell, by the feel of the ground, that it was some sort of wood. But what kind of wood? He sniffed at it, unsure. Was it _really_ wood? He spotted a small table set conveniently in a corner, and, after looking around to make sure things were safe, he hopped towards it and sniffed it.

_What_ the heck was it? He turned around to Coltsfoot, who was sitting beside him, scratching his jaw. "Strange," he heard Coltsfoot say. "I've always heard of man-dens but I never thought it would be like this. We might as well be the first rabbits to have seen the inside, if you count out the man-rabbits."

Ghost did not answer. He had placed both his front paws on the table's surface as he sniffed some more. Yes, he could confirm this was wood, but it reeked of man-scent. He stopped and looked at Coltsfoot, annoyed. "Let's get out of here," he said angrily. "Man-scent makes my head reel. It's worse than _homba_. I hate it."

"So do I, but…" Coltsfoot perked his head as he saw a rabbit near a corner. "Hey, who's that?" he quickly asked. He hopped across the wooden floor and stopped, looking at a rabbit who was equally staring at him.

He blinked. "Good day to you!" he called, but the rabbit merely moved, and did not seem to hear what he just said. He glanced back at Ghost, who was sitting down and cleaning his muzzle, trying to remove the man-scent from his paws. "Strange," he said. "That rabbit doesn't seem to hear me."

Ghost stopped cleaning and glanced at the rabbit Coltsfoot was talking about. To be precise, there were _two_ rabbits. A gray one and a cream one. Ghost, for all his seriousness, was confused.

He hopped towards the rabbits and sniffed them carefully. Then, he remarked, "It's cold."

"What's cold?" Coltsfoot hopped beside him and cocked his head. "What's cold?" he repeated.

"The rabbits," Ghost said, sitting back and glancing at the two rabbits. He placed both his fore paws on the surface of the area where the two rabbits were, suddenly aware that it was solid. "There's a wall here," he said. He sniffed once more. "I can smell it. But I cannot see it."

"What in Inlé…" Coltsfoot said. "What wall can one not see? It's strange."

Ghost sat down, his whiskers twitching. His hind leg suddenly moved towards his ear, but he hadn't even began scratching when he stared at the two rabbits. One rabbit was in the same position as he.

He looked back at Coltsfoot, then at the rabbit. Then he did the same thing again, then again, then finally, he glanced back at the invisible wall, and suddenly, it struck him. "It's…us."

Coltsfoot looked at him strangely. "What?"

Ghost did not want to repeat what he just said. Rather, he moved one of his front paws sideways, while watching the rabbit. The rabbit did the same. He blinked, and stood up. The rabbit stood up.

Coltsfoot was watching him as he did this, and he too, was just as confused. "Frith in a _hrududu_," he remarked. He stood up and hopped across Ghost, then back again, and the rabbit, just as he expected, did the same.

He peered closely at the rabbit, then suddenly, he said, "Master, I might be wrong, but this rabbit looks just like me whenever I look in the water."

Ghost blinked. "That's what I said," he said.

"It's us, is it not? You're right." He rubbed a paw against the back of one ear. "The ears are the same. But how in Frith's name could a man do this?"

"They could…you know…could do such things…yes."

Ghost and Coltsfoot turned around at the strange voice, and suddenly, they became tense. They had been so absorbed in investigating the mirror, they haven't smelled anything wrong, and now they realized it was a horrid mistake. It was a _pfeffa_. A cat, staring at them with green eyes. It was a huge cat, to be sure, fat, with a thick white coat, covered with orange patches, and an orange mask to boot. Stripes covered its face, which ended in an 'M' shape above its eyes. It was waving a thick, plume-like tail.

The two rabbits started to bolt, but the cat's voice held them back. "I'm friendly," it said.

Coltsfoot stopped and stared at it, disbelieving. Ghost snorted and hopped towards the door.

The wind suddenly blew sharply, banging the door shut. Ghost stopped, his eyes wide. They were trapped.

"If you want to get out…" the cat started. It licked a paw, then wiped it across its face. "You follow me. I tell you, I'm no enemy. You are to big for me, to be sure." It yawned. "I know a way out." The cat's hedgerow talk was fluent. It was as if it had practice the language well.

The two rabbits stared at it. Was this some kind of a joke?

"Would you?" Coltsfoot asked in Lapine, looking at Ghost.

"We don't have a choice," Ghost muttered back. He hopped towards the cat. "Show us way, then," he said in his usual, broken hedgerow.

The cat smiled and walked forward. Coltsfoot looked at Ghost, and his master shrugged. They both followed the cat across the floor and around a room.

Ghost glanced at their surroundings worriedly. More of the strange wooden structures were plastered around the place.

They were near the living room when they both heard strange noises. Coltsfoot nearly jumped out of his skin, and he pressed against the ground. The cat stared at him.

"It's humans…humans. Can't you hear that?" Coltsfoot asked, shivering.

"There are humans here, cat," Ghost said angrily. "Why not warn us?"

"That no human," the female cat said. She walked over towards the living room, where light from an unknown source shone in, making part of it shine. "Let me show you."

Perplexed, the two rabbits followed her cautiously towards the room. There, the cat pointed her face towards the direction of a huge box. The light was coming from there, that and from the half-open windows.

Coltsfoot stood, staring at it with a half-open mouth. Then, he said, "What that?"

"It's a box," the cat said. She waved her tail, eyeing it carefully. Then, she tensed her muscles and launched herself towards it. She landed smoothly at the top, and sat down, staring at the two dumbfounded rabbits. "They look at it all the time."

"It's talking," Coltsfoot muttered. He glanced at Ghost, who was standing a few inches behind him. He pawed the back of his ear, thinking whether it was safe or not. Then, he found the courage to approach the box.

He cautiously poked his nose towards it and sniffed. It smelled of man, and he was expecting that. It also smelled hot. The rest of the scent he could not recognize. He had never seen, or smelt, anything like it. Coltsfoot then glanced up at the center, where the light was coming from.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Ghost cautiously hop beside him. The smaller rabbit sniffed the center, then warily moved away. "Eyes hurt," Ghost said. He scratched one of his ears in perplexity. "That center's made of the same material as that thing we saw earlier."

Coltsfoot nodded with interest. Then, he glanced up at the cat with some difficulty, and said, "Why look at it?"

"You see pictures, don't you?" the cat told him. She yawned, flexing a leg. "It's some sort of entertainment. They do it for fun, you know. No biggie." She yawned again. "Shall we go?"

Ghost nodded, hoping to get away from this man-place as soon as possible. It was confusing the _hraka_ out of him. How could man have made a box talk? How could man have made a material that allows them to look at themselves clearly, clearer than they could in the water? It made no sense. He scratched at his ear again, then followed Coltsfoot and the cat down the connecting hallway. He then thought of all the things he'd heard about man. Some were plain _hraka_. He never believed them, like the flying _hrududu_ they heard some rabbits speak of. But now, he thought, perhaps they _were_ true. He'd seen a box talk and make pictures and light.

And yet, awed as he was, he by no means gained no more respect for man as he had in the past, although certainly it wasn't an issue that troubled him, seeing as to how he already had more problems than he wanted to have. Man was still man. They ruin things. They kill things. He'd heard, sometime ago from a rabbit, that in the past, the country was beautiful and wild and although there were _elil_ you never needed to worry about getting killed by man, because there was no man, and you never needed to worry about man destroying everything he gets his hands on either. Must have been a great life back then, he thought.

His thoughts then disappeared from his mind as he glanced at the new room. It still reeked of man, but it wasn't as intimidating as the other rooms. At least there was no talking box here.

"I'm thirsty," Coltsfoot suddenly said. He glared at the rabbit, who shrugged back, his head hung low.

"You are?" the cat said. She looked up and purred, her throat vibrating. "Look there. I get water from there." She jumped up at the countertop, and looked back down at the two rabbits. "You want to go up?"

"Can't," Coltsfoot told her. He stood up on his hind legs. "I can't jump high like that."

"Coltsfoot," Ghost growled in Lapine, his ears flicking in disapproval. "I've seen enough strange things today. Don't make it worse."

"Yes sir, but I'm really, really thirsty. Can't stand it anymore," Coltsfoot told him.

Ghost sighed. "Fine." He looked up at the cat and blinked. "You find way to get up?" he called.

The cat purred loudly again, her tail waving. "I'm not sure," she said. "Perhaps you can find a way."

Ghost looked around the place. He didn't have any ideas, but he decided perhaps he could find one if he walked around. He stood up and hopped a few steps, sniffing, his ears rotating back and forth. He was about to come back and tell Coltsfoot to just hold his thirst until they get out when he bumped against a chair, for he was under a huge table.

He bolted forward, his body tense, but he suddenly realized there was no need, as there was no danger. He glanced back at the chair and realized it just moved. So it was light? He hopped towards it and placed his front paws on the surface, sniffing it.

It was wood, like the table he had sniffed earlier, and suddenly, he had an idea. It was very vague, so that he could not translate it into words to tell the others, but he decided to try it out. Bracing himself, he pushed the chair towards the countertop.

Coltsfoot watched as Ghost dropped down, panting. "What's that supposed to be for?" he asked.

Ghost finally caught his breath and sat down. "Get up that thing," he said. "Then up."

Coltsfoot shrugged. He willingly obeyed, setting his front paws up the chair and hauling his whole body up. There, he eyed the counter before hopping up.

He slipped, naturally, as the counter was a little too high for rabbits, but nevertheless, he managed to hold up. The cat willingly walked nearer for Coltsfoot to grasp his paws around her thick fur, and with that, he managed to climb up the countertop.

Up there, he glanced at the surprisingly helpful cat. He flicked his ears tensely, then asked, "Now what?"

The cat hopped over to the sink. There, she pawed the faucet with utmost concentration, and after a couple of seconds, water dripped down. This she lapped up, before looking back at Coltsfoot and giving him a wide grin. "Try it," she said.

"How that happens?" Coltsfoot asked.

"It's probably the way man get their water," Ghost told him. He had hopped onto the chair and was peering at them curiously. "Man get water like that, no?" he asked the cat.

The cat smiled. "Yeah, basically. Come on lad. Drink up."

"Is it not…dangerous?" Coltsfoot asked, shivering suddenly as he looked at the faucet.

"No. It didn't hurt me, did it?" the cat reassured. She yawned. "Come on. I don't have all day you know."

Coltsfoot cautiously trod towards the sink. He placed his front legs on the metal surface, and held a paw up. It was cold.

"This was the thing they use for _hrududil_," Coltsfoot remarked, turning around to look at Ghost straight in the face. "It's cold and it smells a bit like blood, but not really like that."

"Go get your drink," Ghost said impatiently. He hopped back down the ground and groomed his forepaws, glancing around the room uneasily. "The humans might return soon."

Coltsfoot nodded. He placed his mouth against the faucet and licked the water. After a couple of seconds, he withdraw, his thirst finally quenched. He then proceeded to jump down.

Unfortunately, he did not stop to think that he ought to come down using the way he had come up. Rather, he had used the shortest way…from the counter, to the floor. He came crashing down, and Ghost stared at him.

But Coltsfoot managed to prop himself up as quickly as he fell. He sat down for a couple of moments, gritting his teeth in pain, but the ache quickly left his bones and he stared at the cat, who had followed him down. "Take care next time," the cat said.

There was a sudden noise, and the cat quickly spun around. "The humans are back!" she exclaimed. She ran towards the kitchen door and quickly hopped out the cat flap. "Come quick, come quick!"

Ghost rapidly barreled himself through the flap. He landed on the cement outside, unhurt. He stood up and watched as Coltsfoot gingerly walked out.

"Thank you for help," Coltsfoot told the cat, smiling his best.

"Anytime now," the cat said, before walking back towards the cat flap, meowing loudly.

Ghost and Coltsfoot stared as she disappeared, then they hopped back to the safety of the fields. "Those humans," Coltsfoot suddenly remarked, making Ghost turn his head towards him. "They're certainly strange creatures, huh?"


	11. A Matter of Faith

**11**** – A Matter of Faith **

Ghost was sleeping. He hadn't wanted to, had known that more likely than never, he would dream another horrid dream, but he had no choice as he hadn't slept the past two days, and sleep always do strike even if you wish it doesn't. For some time, his sleep was peaceful, but he knew, inwardly, it wouldn't last long.

So he dreamt, and he didn't remember much how it really started, only he was sniffing some strange rock thing, much like the one he and Coltsfoot had hid in twice when they were in danger. After a while, he confirmed it. It _was_ that rock. Was he back…there?

He gingerly hopped across the ground in his dream, and sure enough, just like he expected, he soon reached the stream. It was flowing faster than he remembered, but it was still the same stream, he knew that. The skeleton that had saved him from the fox lay in a corner.

He slowly walked across the stream. He couldn't remember the crossing much, but he did fully remember as he climbed out of the bank. There, he sniffed the old rabbit skeleton.

Suddenly, the skeleton moved. He backed up in alarm, his eyes wide open as the bones came together. The skeleton looked at him before saying the same, dreaded words. "It was all your fault. You did _nothing_!"

_Nothing… _

_You were helpless… _

_You stared as they died… _

_Yet you did nothing… _

_At all… _

The voice streamed into his head, and he shook it wildly, trying to remove the voice. He became angry, hysterical. "Go away!" he yelled. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone!"

_YOU left them alone… _

_Left them all to die! _

He suddenly stared as the stream became a sea, just that quick. It became a huge sea, something he hadn't seen before in his whole life, and he was scared, just like he always was. The waves rose up, threatening to grab him and drown him under the murky waters.

So he ran, and as he ran, he could hear the eerie laughter of the rabbit-skeleton, and he could hear the waves crashing behind him, as if the whole world has suddenly became one with the sea. In his head he could still hear the voice

_You killed them… _

He shook his head again, closing his eyes shut.

When he opened them again, he could no longer hear the waves, but rather, he could see the warren up ahead…Forest. A hole was nearby, and he suddenly hopped inside, as if seeking shelter from all of this.

He recognized the place, so that he knew which way to turn. He didn't know where he was going, but he thought he ought to travel to Primrose's burrow, where he could perhaps rest and let all worries go away.

He walked on, and he slowly began to realize that the burrows were becoming darker than they actually were. That in itself is hard to notice…burrows are notoriously dark enough already, but now it was thick black, so black you could almost feel it. He was suddenly scared as he heard a voice behind him. It wasn't the voice in his head. No, it was a raspy sort of voice…

"What are you doing here, murderer?"

He turned around, and the darkness went away, but not in the way that it would have relieved him. He faintly wished the darkness has stayed, for now he could see the person who had talked. It was a rabbit. The rabbit's neck was torn…its face bleeding, and pale. It walked towards him in a wobbly sort of way.

"Murderer," it repeated. The blood from its neck suddenly spurted out, and Ghost was expecting it to suddenly fall down and die, but it did not. Rather, it looked at him.

The rabbit's eyes were blood red.

He turned around and began to run across the tunnel, his heart pounding wildly. As he ran he could hear more voices.

"Go, leave us in peace, murderer!"

"You left us!"

"You left us!"

"The one who calls himself our Chief…"

He closed his eyes, wishing it all to end, but somehow, it did not. The voices kept coming, becoming more eerie as he ran faster, and suddenly, he bumped into something.

He opened his eyes and saw rabbit, and wished he hadn't seen it. Its head was severed from its body, hanging only by a strip of flesh. The eyes stared at Ghost and the lips moved.

"Why did you come back? You abandoned us!"

Ghost trembled in fear, suddenly overtaking the rabbit. He realized he was no longer in a run that he had been in before. It was strange, and when he hopped further, he suddenly heard squealing…screams from rabbits, and war-cries. He hopped forward, and stopped as blood came splashing in his direction.

A rabbit appeared. It had a dead rabbit in its mouth, and the dead rabbit twitched.

"Leave me…be…" Ghost muttered. He turned and ran again, trying not to hear the squeals as the rabbits were killed, and killed all over again. The scenes in the battle before were replaying, but this time, it was more horrible, more gruesome, and he was more frightened than he had ever been then. He stumbled along a rock, but it did not matter to him. He continued running.

Away from the pain…

_You run like before… _

He stopped as he saw another dead rabbit, another dead, alive rabbit, staring at him, but this time, it hurt him more, because it was his _ marli_. He stared at her. She did not speak. She only passed by.

Another rabbit appeared and said, "You killed her."

He quickly ran and found an open hole. There, he burst out, panting, shaking miserably from all the fear, but it was to grow worse as a black shadow ran across him, uttering the same words. "You killed them…it was all your fault."

He knew it. He knew it! He knew it was all his fault, had known ever since he could remember…he never denied that. Why did they have to push the issue further? He was so confused he could not do anything but run, just like before…

To run…

The scenes passed by, and then, again, blood began to whirl around him. He could see plenty of rabbits behind, squealing, yelling, telling him he should have done something. Above them was the Black Rabbit of Inlé, telling him the same things…that it were all his fault…

He ran so fast, he slipped and banged against an old tree. There, he felt he could not run anymore. The blood-smell was awful. It tinged his nose, flew through his nostrils, making him want to retch, but he was too tired to retch. He buried his head in his paws and shivered.

This was usually the time he ought to wake up, right?

Right?

Wake up!

He knew this was a dream…

_Wake up! _He thought it out loud, then yelled, "Wake up, Nightshade!"

He shivered. His body was paralyzed. He shivered, and he suddenly started to pant. He could not move. He felt the pain. Too much pain. He wanted to wake up, but he could not. From beyond he could see the rabbit shadows gaining on him.

Wake up!

He could not. It suddenly struck him that this was real, that this was no dream…he was dreaming but it was real at the same time. He could not wake up. His whole body shivered and he suddenly became drowsy.

"Help…me…" he managed to utter out.

He suddenly saw a light streaming out from across the horizon, far away from the shadows that were very near him. He blinked. What was that light? It was bright.

Then he heard a voice in his head again, but it was different, not the scary one…

_Have faith. _

He blinked. Who was that?

_Go into the light to save yourself… _

Light? _Who are you? _he thought.

_I am that which you do not believe in, yet exists… _

_Frith? _

_Believe… _

_Frith… _

_Have faith… _

_Why save me now? Did You not leave me before? _

_I never did. _

_But… _

_Believe… _

_Frith. _

_Go into the light. Have faith. _

_Forgive me. _

He stood up, shaking, his head reeling in pain. Oh, how he wanted to drop down and give up, let the black rabbits catch him! But Frith's voice echoed in his head, and he forced himself. Slowly, bit by bit, he dragged himself across the ground. His whole body was shaking, and every step pained him, but suddenly, he found that he could hop again.

He stared in the direction of the light and ran towards it quickly.

It didn't take long, and then he realized he was completely immersed in the light, and suddenly, he did not feel scared anymore…

His eyes snapped open. He was running. He felt the urge to stop, but turning to the right, he saw Coltsfoot running as well. The rabbit grinned at him, before seriously pointing his head towards a small scrape up ahead. It was one they had dug a few hours back, and the two rabbits quickly burrowed into.

Before Ghost had any time to think, there came a snapping sound behind him, and to his horror, he turned around and saw a _homba_, yapping angrily at its missed attempt. He looked around at Coltsfoot, seeking answers.

"We were _silflaying_ outside," Coltsfoot explained at his questioning gaze. "You were sleeping, then you were all shivering and like that. I tried to wake you up but you wouldn't. I saw you try to move once or twice, but it was as if you couldn't." He swallowed. "Then, the _homba_ came quickly and I didn't know what I should do, but you suddenly stood up and ran towards the burrow, though your eyes were closed, and…"

He didn't finish what he was saying. Rather, he was looking at Ghost curiously. "What…?" he asked, confused.

"Nothing," Ghost said, looking down at the ground. _Frith saved him… _He glanced upwards at nothing in particular, and silently, he prayed, and thanked the God above that He was watching over him. No longer who he believe that He was not there…for He was…it was proven.

After then, the dreams no longer came. It was as if Frith's light had obliterated all the nightmares. True, he still felt guilty at everything, but for some time, he was in peace.

All that was left was for him to search for his life.


	12. Destiny

**PART 3 – GHOST-RAH**

**12 – Destiny **

In the manner that they had always done, the two _hlessi_ were wandering about, _silflaying_ here and there and bolting at the slightest indication of danger. It was summer, and the two bucks, Ghost and Coltsfoot, were exactly a year old. Though young by most standards, their faces were filled with uncanny wisdom hardly seen in bucks their age, and they walked without the slightest apprehension, as if they know how to take care of themselves. 

Coltsfoot was the bigger buck, burly and heavy, his mere, two-inch ears folded flat against his head and hanging down. He was by no means a wild rabbit in blood, for sure, with his cream coat that would have proved unsuitable for camouflage, but it seemed that he did not care whether he was seen by enemies or not. And in truth, he could have taken care of them well, if he did meet one, having proven himself capable during the last few months. He stopped and sniffled the air, his nostrils quickly shutting and closing in the manner that rabbits learn the news. 

Ghost was smaller, almost of medium sized, and like Coltsfoot, he was of unnatural color. He was of a quite dark gray, which would not blend as well against the background, and he had a band of lighter, longer fur covering his neck, which would also prevent him from hiding amongst his surroundings. He also had unnatural blue eyes, which had caused him some trouble in the past. Unlike his companion, he had natural rabbit ears, standing straight up, and thus he could hear a whole deal better. So now his ears rotated back and forth like a radar, trying to locate sounds, which might prove disastrous for him and Coltsfoot. 

"There's a warren over there, master," Coltsfoot said, rubbing his face with his front paws. Sitting on his haunches, he raised his paws, viewing the landscape below him. "Yes master, I can see it clearly from here." 

His master went beside him and saw a bunch of dark circles, which, no doubt, were rabbit holes. Grass grew thickly around the areas, with dandelion growing here and there, and rabbit dung ruining the view. Obviously it was a warren, and by the number of the holes, it seemed to be a pretty large one. 

"We can't pass the opportunity to rest here, sir," Coltsfoot told him, dropping down on all fours. He yawned. "I'm tired, anyway, and I can use a rest in a warm and snug burrow without expecting _elil_ to come on all sides every second. Why, I even dream _elil_, for all of that! Especially those _hombil_." He shuddered, ending his chatter then and staring at his master's face expectantly. 

"Fine, I could use some rest myself," Ghost said. He started down the terrain, hopping here and there. He finally thudded down the ground and looked over the rabbit holes. 

*** 

Clover, a buck with patches of gray fur that showed his old age, was nibbling on a dandelion. Several young rabbits were talking to him. 

"Please let us leave," one said. This one was his own son, whom he knew quite well despite the vast numbers of offspring he has. Burnet, as was his name, a ten-month-old buck, is known to be a particularly intellectual rabbit, quite grasping complex things easier than most rabbits do, and would have been a welcome addition to any garden raids because of this, if only he wasn't such a coward and a rebel intertwined together. This particular request, thus, had surprised Clover to an extent. Burnet wasn't apt to do risky things. Heck, when he was a kitten, he remembered that his mother telling him how frightened he was of his own shadow. 

"Let you leave?" the Chief rabbit asked, choking on the dandelion he was about to swallow. He coughed loudly. "Why?" 

"Because the warren is far too big already. Some of us has to leave some time or another, you know, father sir." 

Clover chuckled a bit. He stared over at Burnet's companions. They were three does, whom he recognized as Willow, Fern, and Corn. "I see," Clover said, nodding his head up and down. He turned to his son. "I see your reason. You want to leave with these three does because you don't want to fight any bucks over one, and that you want to be Chief of your own warren. I'd allow you, Burnet, but I know you. You will sooner or later leave the does somewhere in times of danger, and as far as I can see, you will all die out there." 

Burnet groaned. "But…but…" Clover chuckled. Not only was Burnet a coward, he was also the worst whiner in all of the warren. Rabbits loathed him just because of these whines.

"No buts, young buck," Clover said sternly, stifling his humor. "This conversation is over. If you try to leave the guards will see to you." He wasn't by nature a strict rabbit, but as a Chief, he had some responsibilities to do such things even against his will. 

Burnet left without another word, cursing and grumbling under his breath. Clover watched as he disappeared into a hole, then he turned to the three does. "Don't encourage him too much." 

Corn spoke up. "I really don't want to go with him, Chief, however, we feel so cramped in this warren. No offense sir, it's just the right size, but we still want a smaller warren for ourselves." 

"I know, I know, dear," Clover said gently, extending his paw and patting the young doe on the head. "But Corn, you see, I don't want to lose any rabbit of mine over matters like this. It would be unethical for a Chief to send his rabbits, young ones no less, to die out there. Burnet is a good lad, but he will and _will_ abandon you at one point, and if you all go alone, it is bound to happen. Do you have any idea how bad that will make me feel?" 

"Sir, we really want to leave…!" Fern snapped. Her temper was nastier than Burnet's. 

"Yes sir, we understand, sir," Corn interrupted, bowing her head. She pushed Fern aside, whispering something to her. Fern cursed, but fell quiet soon as a sentry suddenly appeared. He stood there, waiting as the three does made their speedy exit. When they were gone, the sentry turned to Clover and said, "Sir, there are two _hlessi_ wanting to stay here for a while. Shall you talk to them, sir?" 

"Yes, yes old chap, bring them in." Clover sat up. As he said so, the two rabbits went towards him. He was slightly surprised, seeing their strange color and the strange ears of one, but being a polite rabbit by nature, he said nothing about this. Rather, he said, "Welcome to my warren, my friends. The guard…eh, I forgot his name…but please make yourself comfortable here. Help yourselves to an empty burrow." 

"Thank you for the hospitality, Chief," Coltsfoot said, knowing well that Ghost wasn't going to say anything himself unless he feels like it. He nodded and they both entered the holes to rest. 

*** 

A bit later, Coltsfoot appeared near the _silflaying_ grounds, yawning and stretching himself from sleep. Clover met up with him, smiling as he was used to doing when meeting others. "Had a good rest, eh chap? I'm afraid our warren is very cramped, though." 

"Oh no, it's a very nice warren, Clover-rah," Coltsfoot said. "It feels good sleeping without expecting _elil_ to bolt out from the open at any time, or smelling them. Ever smelled _hombil_? Their smell used to drive me nuts, but now it's like I'm used to them." 

"You've had some travels, eh? Like Elahrairah himself, I believe," Clover complimented. He shuffled himself beside Coltsfoot, chewing on the grass. It was then that Burnet appeared. He looked at his father, snorted angrily, and stormed off, still mad from not being allowed to leave the warren with the three does. Clover nibbled thoughtfully, then he suddenly inquired, "What are you planning?" 

"Huh?" Coltsfoot turned to him, confused. "What do you mean?" 

"Why are you traveling?" 

"We lost our warren, Clover. We've been wandering ever since…quite pointlessly, I believe," Coltsfoot added. He sighed. 

"I see." Clover swallowed what he was chewing as he nibbled some more. "Are you thinking of getting some does to start a warren, or overtake one?" 

"Not that I think of," Coltsfoot answered. "I never asked master. I just followed him, and I think he was just following the trail, nothing more." 

"Unlike Elahrairah," Clover mumbled. Then, louder, he said, "So he is your master, old fellow, right? I'm going to talk to him about some matters. Would you mind telling me where he is right now?" 

"Um…the way I remember it, he should be in that empty burrow…to the left of the run I just came out of, and then the fourth burrow on the right." 

"Yes, yes, I see. Thank you lad. By the way, what is your name? The guard mentioned something about it but my memory has not been the same since when I was young." 

"I'm Coltsfoot, sir, and my master is Ghost…as he likes to call himself." He shut his mouth before he could say anything more. 

Clover went underground, following Coltsfoot's instructions as best as he can. He greeted the rabbits he met with his mellow, cheerful voice, although there were a few he did not recognize. He made a mental note to go around these areas more often. It seems he keeps seeing new faces everyday. 

Entering the burrow that Coltsfoot mentioned, he came upon Ghost, who instantly woke up upon hearing the heavy footsteps Clover made. 

Ghost scrambled up, yawning. "What do you want?" he asked, quite coldly. 

"Can you come with me outside? I need to talk to you." 

"About what?" 

"About many things." Clover seemed utterly serious now. The smile had not yet faded from his old face, and yet his eyebrows were twitched in away that told he wanted complete and utter attention to what he was saying. 

Ghost followed him, confused. Coming out from the run, Clover led him far from the _silflaying_, playing, romping rabbits, until they were practically out of earshot. Then, giving a silent sigh, he said, "Coltsfoot told me about your traveling." 

"He did, aye?" Ghost remarked, pausing to nibble on a pinkish clover blossom lying by his feet. It seemed nice enough to eat. He was hungry, anyway. He perked up his ears as he listened to what Clover has to say. 

"It seems that you both have escaped some _elil_ here and there," Clover replied. He cleaned his face and proceeded to groom himself thoroughly. 

"What about it?" he asked coldly. 

"Well, you see," the old buck looked up and twitched himself, up to the ears. "I've had some rabbits here who wanted to leave the warren…one buck and some does…because as you can see, it is getting quite crowded, and even though it's still a good size, young ones these days don't have much patience hanging around and being ignored and cuffed by their elders." He stifled a chuckle. "I should know! I was like that before I got enough weight to overthrow our Chief!" 

Ghost twitched his ear, somewhat surprised by what Clover said about overthrowing their Chief. He, after all, came from a warren where the position of Chief was passed on, not fought for. It had not occurred to him that in most rabbits' society, positions are about dominance, not monarchy. 

But he overcame his amazement after, like his usual way, he accepted it, and he listened closely to what Clover has to say, right after the buck had chewed some of his pellets. 

"I'll get to the point, Ghost. Or is your name Spirit?" 

"Ghost," he answered, bored. What was Clover getting at? 

"Yes. Well lad, would you want to take those rabbits that wanted to leave with you? They'll be a whole lot safer if they're with some rabbits who've been traveling for some time already, rather than going out on their own." 

Ghost hung back his head, his ears flicking slightly. He didn't fancy the idea of more rabbits following him as he tries to make out what his life was. They'd be noisy, irritating nuisances…as if Coltsfoot wasn't enough, by Frith! 

Clover was wise in facial expressions and knew what Ghost was thinking, partly. "You think they'd be of no use, eh? " 

"Yes." Ghost yawned and turned away. "They won't be of any use to me. Just added trouble, that's what." 

"Tell me this, lad. You and your companion…you travel the lengths of this world as two _hlessi_. Why can't there be more? Sooner or later, you will have a warren with lots of kittens, and you would no longer need to travel. What will become of _hlessi_? Sooner or later they die, from _elil_, from disasters, from attacks by hostile warrens. Tell me lad. What are you going to do in the long run?" 

Ghost sighed. What was he going to do? He had never thought about that. All his dreams, all his hope, all his life…they had crumbled the moment Forest had crumbled under those rabbits that attacked it. Life had no meaning to him. He was only living for the sake of existing, and he had never thought about the future. Every rabbit was destined to live and bring life to the world. 

And at this, he realized it. What was he going to do? Seriousness overcame his face. Was there hope…for the future? He stood up. "I will think the matter over, Clover." He hopped away. 

_Primrose-rah, what am I going to do? He knows that my journeys have no point at all…what am I going to do, Primrose-rah? You taught me nothing about that… _

He stopped. A doe was lying down, watching as her feisty litter of kittens pranced about her feet. Several other rabbits were near them, chattering out loudly. Ghost gazed at them, and then for a moment a voice spoke in his head. _Follow your destiny… _

A kitten hopped over to him, looking at him straight in the eye and sniffing him. "Whoa, why are you a strange color? And your eyes…!" the kitten blurted out. 

"Scabious! Leave him alone!" 

"Yes mother." 

Ghost snorted and went a distance from the rabbits. He sat down, and the voice came over him again… 

_Follow your destiny… _

Frithrah, is he going crazy? He shook his head, trying to grasp anything…anything from those words that keep coming into him. But like a rabbit, his mind was relatively simple, and being not one of those intuitive rabbits, he could not get anything from it. He scratched his ear with his hind leg. 

"Master." 

He whirled around at Coltsfoot, who had magically appeared beside him. Ghost realized that he had been thinking too hard to smell or hear Coltsfoot coming towards him. 

"Did you talk to Clover?" 

"Yes." 

"Sorry for intruding, sir, but what did he say?" 

Ghost gave a deep sigh. "He asked me to bring some of his rabbits with us. For their and _our _sake." 

"What did you tell him sir?" 

"I told him I'd think about it." 

"Is this one of those times that I can convince you what to do? I mean, really, really annoy you into doing something?" His faithful friend grinned widely at him, in the way he always did when he thought that his master was becoming too serious for his own good. 

"No." 

"You don't want us to bring them?" 

"No." 

"But my prince…I mean, my lord! It would be a great idea!" Coltsfoot grinned widely. "We'll have a warren of our own!" 

_Follow your destiny… _

Damn that voice! 

"You know sir," Coltsfoot relatively calmed down, his voice becoming a whole deal more serious. "I really think we'll need those rabbits. Especially if there are does. Are there?" 

"There are does." 

"See?" 

Ghost kept quiet at that, as he tried to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of letting the rabbits come with them. Oh, forget that! If he let them come… 

He would have a life…possibly. 

Was it possible? 

Was it possible to have a life after your past one has been destroyed by bloodthirsty people that never seem to think about anything but themselves? 

He looked down the ground, watching the grass with sudden interest. Could he have a future? The grass moved as the air suddenly blew upon them. Ghost's fur ruffled up as he again, heard, that unmistakable voice in his head. 

_Follow your destiny. _

Ghost turned to Coltsfoot. "Fine, I'll talk to Clover about it. And it would be good." He looked away from his companion and sighed. _I tried to become an ordinary rabbit…I didn't succeed. It was not meant to be. But maybe this time…just maybe…I'll find my life again…_


	13. Decisions

**13 – Decisions **

Ghost and Coltsfoot left early in the morning, the group of four rabbits who had proposed to leave the warren coming along with them. No other young rabbits went along. Although they were having a thin time, they were fearful of the unknown dangers ahead, and they did not trust the two _hlessi_ enough, even with their Chief's encouragement. So they stayed behind, and even Burnet was considered brave to be going. 

Burnet was, as previously explained, a smart rabbit. And just like most smart people, he was curious. He kept asking the two other bucks questions, until they annoyed to the point that they were ready to bury their heads in the earth and scream. 

"And are there any hawks? How do you escape hawks? Does trickery work with hawks?" It was his fifty-first, fifty-second, and fifty-third question during the day. 

"Will you please stop asking already?" Ghost asked, annoyed. He speedily went to the front of the group. 

"Why…" Burnet started. 

Coltsfoot, more annoyed than Ghost is, and less self-controlling, cuffed Burnet across the head loudly. Hearing the other buck's shrill squeal, everybody stopped walking and looked at them. 

Burnet was not hurt, although he was small and obviously dwarfed by the burly Coltsfoot. But he was angry at this, and he suddenly cried, "And what was your reason for doing that? My father trusts you with us and this is what you…" 

"Shut your mouth you little dung-faced frog!" Coltsfoot cussed. "You are not in charge here." 

"Oh? And who's in charge? You? You, with your dog-like ears…" 

"Don't dare tease my ears!!!" Coltsfoot bared his teeth, ready to strike the small buck again lest he dare say anything more about his most valued ears. 

"Frith in an ant's hill, stop it both of you!" Ghost said loudly, stopping Coltsfoot in his tracks, getting angry. What was that about life? 

"It was his damn fault, master," Coltsfoot said, snorting. But he hopped towards Ghost anyway, certainly still obedient to his master's words. He stared at the fields instead, yawning. 

"You cuffed me for no reason…" Burnet started to yell, but was stopped when Ghost spoke up again. 

"Look here. Do you know that in your arguments, a _homba_ could have easily sneaked up on us and taken any of us? You, Burnet. And Coltsfoot, you too. If we're not going to get along it would be wise for us to separate and go on our own ways." Ghost stared at the rabbits angrily. 

"I am very sorry master," Coltsfoot said. 

Burnet snorted, although he said nothing. There was a very angry look in his face. 

"So does that mean you're our Chief?" Fern turned to Ghost. Unlike the two, cowering does beside her, she had no submissive look in her eyes. Her tone was in a sarcastic way. 

Ghost gazed at her, half-expecting this to happen sooner or later. In a gentler, but nevertheless still cold tone, he said, "It depends on what you mean as Chief Rabbit. If you mean as a title, as something given to one rabbit only for decorative purpose, then no, I am not your so-called Chief Rabbit. But if you are asking me whether I'm in charge, well yes, simply because your Chief trusted me with your lives and I am responsible for you." 

Having said that, he continued walking. The rabbits followed him, Burnet cussing lightly under his breath, thinking. _Stupid rabbits. I should be the leader of this group but noooo! Clover just HAD to think we were helpless. Fools… _

Among the four rabbits, Burnet was obviously against Ghost and Coltsfoot's obvious dominance, but he only held back attacking because of their superior size and strength against his. Fern did everything ordered to her obediently, but she complained, mostly if it was Coltsfoot who ordered her. Like that one time Coltsfoot asked her to help him dig scrapes while Burnet and Ghost went patrolling the area for _elil_ (much to Burnet's annoyance). She said, 

"I don't want to dig. I am too tired plodding along all day, following you wherever in Frith's name we're going, and I am going to rest whether you like it or not." 

Wherein Coltsfoot scolded her harshly, cursing ever now and then in his usual Owsla-learnt manner. 

The two other does were very obedient and hardly complained about anything. Corn was very friendly, and the young, ten-month-old doe got along well with everybody, including the eight-month Fern. Willow, a-six-month-old, on the other hand, was shy, and although she talked and socialized a bit when she had to, she was usually found sitting somewhere quietly, nibbling on any flay available. She hardly complained about anything. 

*** 

It was almost ten days after they had left Clover's warren, and the four rabbits where exhausted. They simply were not used to the life of a _hlessi_…always moving about, and always on the look out for danger. Having been born in a warren, they had then no need for constant exercise, but now they were panting, their legs all weak and tired. 

"I don't think we can take it any more, Ghost-rah," Corn said, lying down against a tree. They had stopped in what Coltsfoot reckoned as a 'safe enough place, and may I be damned forever if we lose a rabbit here'. It was near a small brook, with trees almost everywhere providing safe cover from hawks, and soft, dry grounds nearby where they could dig scrapes and stay for a while. 

"Why call him Rah?" Burnet snapped at her. He was crouching beside Fern a few feet away, _silflaying_ on a patch of clover he luckily found growing nearby. 

"Shall I cuff him sir? Shred his ears, maybe?" Coltsfoot suggested angrily. 

Ghost had heard the remark, but was not affected by it. Rather, he said, whilst sitting down some distance away from all of the rabbits, "What did you just say, Corn?" 

"I don't think we can take any more of this journey. It's not that I won't do it, sir, but it's because we are used to warren life and traveling like this is unnatural for us. When do you think we'll find a warren?" She looked at him expectantly. 

"She's right, Ghost. Great golden Frith, I can't stand this walking anymore! I'll dig all day if I can avoid walking!" Which, at that, Coltsfoot shot her an angry look. 

Ghost nodded, his head dipped in thoughts. He turned to the other two. "And what are your opinions about this?" 

"Stop! Stop this traveling!" Burnet hollered. Coltsfoot had to grind his teeth before he toned down a bit. "If you are our Chief you're supposed to find us a warren to live in, you know." 

"And you?" 

"I'm really tired, sir, but if we have to walk some more I'll follow. Clover-rah put you in charge so I'm sure you know what you're doing," Willow meekly answered. She placed her head on her paws, her ears drooping. 

"I want to talk with you about this," Ghost whispered to Coltsfoot. "Alone. Come with me." 

The two left the four rabbits alone and walked several meters away, until they were out of earshot. 

"They're all tired, you know," Coltsfoot said, looking around to make sure everything was in fine. "Very tired, I'm afraid. That one…Willow. She said she'll follow, but it seems she's getting weaker by the moment. From what I've heard from Corn, she's particularly young. I won't be surprised if she drops down dead tomorrow. It's a pity, she doesn't complain. I'd rather have Burnet dead than she." 

"Don't say that," Ghost snapped, making Coltsfoot cower. He sighed and scratched his ear, his eyes gazing around the fields. "But you're right. They'll all be dropping down like rotten fruit and then what will Clover say to that, if he hears about it?" 

"Then that settles it. It's time we find a warren and settle down with them. They're not a good bunch but they're all we've got. Who do you think would be a better doe for me? Anyone but Fern, though…she won't even dig, no matter what she said…" 

"Where do we find a warren, then?" Ghost asked, oblivious of Coltsfoot's last comments about a doe. "We need a quiet, lonely field, possibly as hidden from man as our last warren was. Should be a near stream or brook, or river…plenty of flay. Certainly not here, though. It's a fine place, but I'm not about to live the rest of my life around here." 

"As far as I know, there's none across the way we came from," Coltsfoot said, thinking deeply, which he did only in rare occasions. "We have to explore, but it will mean losing a rabbit or two along unknown paths to _elil_ and other dangers, and it'll mean slowing down. If it were just us, things won't be hard since we're practically used to traveling, but not the newcomers. We'll definitely be sure to lose someone. Not Willow or Corn, I hope though." His last comment might just as well have meant, "I hope it's Fern or Burnet…" 

"Do you think it's worth it?" Ghost asked, looking over at the four other rabbits, eating quietly a few ways off. 

"Oh, it's worth it all right. To settle down with lots of little kittens playing by my feet…yes, it will be worth it, master." Coltsfoot nodded. "So, are we up to it?" 

Ghost nodded. He got up and hopped back to the other rabbits, glad that no _elil_ had taken any of them…for though he did not think that they were that stupid, he certainly knew that it was still possible. "We'll leave first by _ni-Frith_ on the morrow, after they get some rest," he said carefully. 


	14. A Hlessi's Fate

**14 – A Hlessi's Fate **

"How far do we have to go?" Fern asked, irritated as always. She stopped, stretched herself, and yawned. 

Coltsfoot turned to her and said angrily, "Hey, you wanted to leave your warren and start a new one, you have to work for it. If you want to, you can stay behind and spare us your nasty complaints!" 

"Oh, and why should I listen to you?" Fern asked, facing the big buck squarely. 

"Then don't the heck listen to me, but if you die don't blame me!" 

"Stupid rabbit…" 

"_Marli tharn_!" 

"Why can't we rest for a while?" 

"It's too dangerous!" 

"I'm too tired!" 

"Well so am I, and you don't find me complaining, do you?" 

"Aw, shut up!" 

"Shut up yourself!" 

"Why I ought to…" 

"Okay, enough!" Ghost yelled, going to the two rabbits and sitting in front of them with a very angry look in his blue eyes. "That's it…another argument and I'm going to leave you behind! Yes, including _you_, Coltsfoot! You heard me!" He turned to the three other rabbits, who were crouching near each other, looking at them innocently. "That goes for _anyone_ who fights! I am very angry and I've had enough of this, and frankly, my ears don't want to hear any more. Understand?" 

Coltsfoot walked towards him, an ashamed expression in his face. Ghost snorted as the rabbit walked by. 

Corn's attention from the other rabbits waned away. She sat up on her hind legs, her back away from them, as she sniffed the air. Her ears were raised up, and her eyes had a bright, alert expression within them. Then, she suddenly said, "I hear noises." 

"Oh Frithrah," Ghost muttered. He copied her as he sat up, sniffing. "Man. That smell can only be man." 

"Bolt! Bolt!" Burnet hollered. He started to flee, but Coltsfoot tackled him down. Holding the buck firmly with his paws, he said angrily, 

"Man cannot smell you. If you bolt, they will see you more easily, though, and if they fancy it they will shoot…" 

At the exact moment he said 'shoot', there was a loud bang. Birds and other animals scattered, and Burnet panicked some more. "Let me go! Dammit, let me go!" He struggled and Coltsfoot had a tough time keeping him down. Then, he managed to kick Coltsfoot on the chest, and despite his burly body, Coltsfoot staggered back, releasing him. The buck bolted away, slamming against Willow in his confusion. 

Willow was caught unexpected, and the force from Burnet sent both of them flying backwards. The two rabbits disappeared from sight. Another shot rang into the air, followed by another, and then everything was quiet. 

Corn, shivering from fright, inched closer to Ghost, the whites of her eyes showing. She was slowly going _tharn_. Fern, too, was shocked. 

"Where they…" Fern stammered, her ears laid back. 

"I'll go and look," Coltsfoot replied. He started to where Burnet and Willow had disappeared, but Ghost held him back. 

"Wait. We don't know if man are still around and we can't lose you too." 

Coltsfoot obeyed, but he shuffled his paws angrily, snorting and grunting every second. He started cursing as well. 

There was a rustle behind the bushes and Burnet appeared. He looked very shaken. He stumbled towards Coltsfoot, then fell down, almost scared to death. 

Ghost approached him. He was not wounded, so he seems to be okay. Probably only frightened. He lightly cuffed the buck, who woke from what seemed to be a trance and looked at them. "She…" he said, shivering. "She…" 

"Was she shot?" Corn asked, starting to grow anxious for her friend. She approached Burnet. "Was Willow shot? Damn it, Burnet, tell us!" 

"Man…they shot at us but Willow bolted away. It seems she…she…she wanted to bring them away from me. They followed her and they all disappeared, and then I heard the other shot and…" He shivered again. 

Corn fell back. Willow had been her good friend, and she could not believe she had gone. She crouched down beside Fern, muttering something over and over again. It was not long before the other rabbits heard it as, "Frithrah. Frithrah." 

For a while they crouched there. Finally, Ghost said, "No use mourning here. Let us go." 

"We just lost a rabbit!" Burnet snapped. 

"And who do you think is to blame?" Coltsfoot started. Then, he remembered his argument with Fern and bit his lower lip to keep himself quiet. 

Ghost turned and started lolloping away. 

"Hey! You! Stop! We just lost a rabbit here and you don't even care?" Burnet was very mad. He caught up to Ghost and stood in front of him, staring at the blue-eyed rabbit in the face. 

"We can mourn. We can stay here and mourn," Ghost told him calmly. "And then let the _elil_ get us. I know she's gone, but we're not going to stay here and kill ourselves as well." 

Burnet dropped back, Ghost's words making sense to him. He hung his head, muttering something quietly, but nobody bothered to talk to him. There was no more arguing as the rabbits, lost in their own thoughts, continued on their journey. 


	15. Warren of the Mad Rabbit

**15- Warren of the Mad Rabbit **

Gently traipsing across the forest floor, the exhausted rabbits stumbled upon a treeless field. Ghost, tired but still conscious in both body and mind, inspected from a distance. A fence surrounded the field, and across the fence cattle roamed. Further across that, almost hidden behind the brown and white hides, were some buildings, probably a farm. A dog barked from beyond. 

Ghost turned his attention to the nearby field. He could see a few rabbit holes, and started to walk towards them. 

"Don't you think it's too dangerous?" Coltsfoot asked. "There's man nearby…" 

"Look at them," Ghost answered. 

Coltsfoot looked at the three remaining rabbits with them. Burnet was sitting a few feet away from him, yawning and half-asleep. Fern was cleaning her face, but it appeared she was also exhausted. Corn had a tired, weary look on her face, and she had already settled down to nibbling a bit of grass. 

Coltsfoot started to say something, but before he was done, several rabbits approached them. Leading them was a huge, bulky rabbit, a bit bigger than Coltsfoot, and almost as well built as he is, with shorter-than-ordinary ears and scars all over his body. He stopped in front of Ghost. "Who are you and what brings you here?" he asked. 

"We are a band of _hlessi_ wishing to seek shelter. If you may, we will rest here for a while and then be on our way," Ghost answered. "My companions are exhausted." 

"I can see that. Come with me," the rabbit said, turning around and leading them back to the holes. 

Along the way, the buck suddenly said, "What is your name, _hlessi_?" 

"Ghost," he answered. 

"Strange name," the buck said, becoming a bit friendlier. "They call me Bark." 

The rabbits entered a run and continued walking. The two does seemed very afraid, having had not been to a strange warren all their lives, and were crowding against each other. With their nervousness they leaned against Burnet, who was just as nervous. The sudden contact scared him. 

"Frithrah!" 

All rabbits around turned to him curiously. Coltsfoot, annoyed by the scream, cuffed Burnet noisily, then said in a firm voice that sounded like he was trying to stop himself from getting any angrier, "Would you shut up?" 

Burnet whimpered and continued walking. 

They finally arrived in the entrance of a huge but narrow burrow. Bark led Ghost inside, making sure to leave the other rabbits outside with his own companions. He approached a not very large but certainly very fat rabbit around his threes, and said in an earnest voice, "Mushroom-rah, there are a bunch of _hlessi_." 

"Bring them to their burrows," the Chief said. He turned around and started chewing on a lettuce leaf. 

Ghost looked at the Chief, a bit surprised. The Chief had not even greeted him. He was unused to this kind of treatment. 

Bark gently pushed Ghost out the burrow and back into the run. Outside, Bark quietly whispered, "Don't worry, he's always like that." He jumped over Burnet, who was blocking the run, (and during the process made him squeal until everyone's ears were ringing), and led the rabbits to another run. 

Here, a few rabbit burrows were scattered all, and appeared to be empty. "These are your burrows," Bark said. He backed away, a bit nervously, as he turned to Ghost. The gray rabbit was sniffing the entrance of the nearest burrow with utmost curiosity, while Coltsfoot stood beside him. "I have to talk to the Chief," he said, turning around and almost knocking one of his rabbits. He disappeared around the bend, and his own rabbits followed him, leaving Ghost and his companions alone. 

"That sure was a strange band," Coltsfoot smirked. He entered the burrow after Ghost had stopped sniffing it, inspected it a bit, and then said, "I stake out this one." 

"How come you didn't take too long when you talked to the Chief?" Corn asked, looking at Ghost, who had began another inspection on the next burrow. She looked tense, although that did nothing to alarm anyone. She had been like that ever since Willow disappeared. 

Burnet leaned close to her anyway and said, in a comforting tone, "Easy there, dear. There's nothing in Frith's name to worry about." 

"'Cept you," Coltsfoot snickered, from his snug shelter. 

Burnet grunted, but he did not say anything, knowing all too well that he didn't want any more trouble with Ghost. Not today, anyway. He was far too tired. 

Ghost walked out of the burrow and shook himself, sending dirt flying everywhere. "This warren is strange." 

"How come?" Corn asked, looking up at him. 

"The smell." 

"Oh Frith, these are not disease-laden burrows, are they?" they heard Coltsfoot say. In a moment the cream-colored face peered out of the hole, his nose wiggling rapidly along with his whiskers. 

"No, just emptiness," Ghost answered. "Like no one had stayed here for a long time." 

He saw Corn shivering, her head lain on Burnet's shoulder in a frantic effort to ease her fears. "Don't worry, it's safe," Ghost reassured her. 

"And a good thing to, she's practically clambering over me," Burnet said, grunting. 

Corn, ignoring Burnet's comments, slid into the burrow. Fern followed her. 

Ghost hopped off to the next burrow. Sniffing it revealed the same smell he had been telling them…the empty, vacant smell. Not dangerous, but mysterious, all the same. He nodded to Burnet, who, rejoicing upon the site of a warm burrow, snuggled in and was soon half-asleep. 

The gray rabbit went to the burrow across that, right beside Coltsfoot's, and started sniffing. He had not sniffed for long when he stopped, whiskers quivering. He made his way across the burrow and realized it was a whole deal deeper than the rest's. WAY deeper. 

As he went on, he sniffed, one paw raised. 

"Hey, I don't see strangers often here," a voice said. "Who are you?" 

Ghost inched closer to the voice and saw, even in the dark, a rabbit. 

The rabbit was lean, not very small but not very big either. 

"The question would be who you are," Ghost said, approaching the rabbit cautiously. 

"My name is Onion," the rabbit said, approaching Ghost. He touched his nose to Ghost's, who immediately stepped back. He didn't like nose touching with strangers, even though it was a formal gesture within rabbits. He was too aloof to engage in such activities. 

Onion was surprised for a while at Ghost's aloofness. He was a well-mannered and polite rabbit, and he thought Ghost was sort of rude when he withdrew his nose. But he remained quiet about this as he said, "What are you doing here?" 

"We're staying here for a while, to rest. My companions are exhausted," Ghost said. He sat down and started scratching his ear. 

Onion swallowed. "I don't see why you have to stay _here_. There are other warrens nearby where you could have gone…" 

"What do you exactly mean?" Ghost asked, starting to become suspicious. 

"Nothing, it's just that…this warren is cursed." 

"WHAT?" 

Onion nodded. 

Ghost looked at him, wrinkling his nose in disbelief. This was getting strange… 

He walked out of the burrow. Onion chose not to follow and stayed where he was. 

Ghost decided to take a walk, after seeing that his companions were all fast asleep, with Coltsfoot twitching and dreaming about his fox friends. He had not gone far down the run when a buck, one of the many that accompanied Bark when he met them, stopped him. 

"And where do you think you're going?" the buck asked threateningly. 

Unmoved, Ghost said, "Let me through. I am just taking a walk." 

"If you need to _silflay_ get out, there, through that entrance." 

Ghost gnashed his teeth, but he was no Coltsfoot, so he climbed out the hole the rabbit was talking about and stepped out the grass. He stretched, feeling the soft green blades under his feet, then looked around. He saw many guards posted around the small area and for a moment he could not make out why they were that many. 

Another rabbit emerged out of a hole. He was a small buck in his prime, and twitched about nervously as he walked. He bent down and grasped as much grass as his mouth could hold. Then, he caught sight of Ghost, and made an estimate of the rabbit's size. Deeming it to be bigger than his, he dropped the blades, scattering them all over the ground, turned, and ran. 

"Stop." 

The rabbit stopped, twitching and shivering. "Don't hurt me sir…" the rabbit started. "I just wanted to _silf_…" 

"No, don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," Ghost reassured. 

The rabbit faced him and crouched down, still trembling. 

"I need to ask you a question." 

The rabbit looked up. 

"Do you know who that rabbit near the empty burrows are?" 

The rabbit started trembling again. "There…are a lot of empty burrows here…sir…" 

Ghost told him the specific ones, and he started to twitch more, if that was ever at all possible, but he did not answer. 

"I won't hurt you," Ghost told him. 

Frantic, the rabbit started to say words that meant no sense. Finally, a bit annoyed, and very suspicious, Ghost placed his paws firmly on the rabbit, holding him down, and said, "Talk clearly. Who is that rabbit?" 

The rabbit finally spoke up. "He's Onion. He tried to run away from the warren, sir, and they…they tried to kill him. Oh sir, you won't hurt me won't you?" 

"I'm a visitor here. I have no right. Continue." 

"They thought he got away, but he really didn't. He was injured, see? When he tried to escape they wounded him and he made it appear that he got away, but while all the guards were out looking for him, he said he decided to come back because of the pain. I was the only one who knew he was still alive so I led him down one of the many empty runs and dug a deep burrow where he could stay. None of the Owsla usually goes there, so we thought he was safe…" 

"How long ago was that?" 

"Four months sir." 

"Why is he still alive?" 

"I bring him food sir, and we dug a small watering hole for him a bit further down his burrow. It was a hard job but we managed to." 

"Tell me more. Why are those burrows empty?" 

"Hrair months ago, when I was no more than a young kitten, there was the White Blindness. Many died and when it was all over, Mushroom-rah took over, sir. There were only a few of us left and most were bucks…in fact, there is only one doe left, sir. There were two but the other one got taken by _lendri_. And then sir, she has not been raising any litters well…they all die young! There's not enough food here, but the Chief didn't want to leave! All the well for him because he eats all the _flayrah_! Oh sir, you say you were a visitor? Were there does with you?" 

His question was totally far from what he just said. Ghost looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Why does that matter? Yes, as a matter of fact, there were." 

"Run away while you can sir! They will kill you…all of the bucks, and take the does for themselves! Sir, I have no proof about this, but I'm sure they will. There is only one doe sir. I know our Chief. I know the Owsla…I know our Chief! Beware our Chief sir! Beware…" 

He trembled as he saw a rabbit walk towards them. He dove down the warren hole and disappeared, leaving Ghost confused and stunned. 

"Talking to Pike, I see! Strange name for a rabbit. He was named like that because they say his mother had too much folklore." It was Bark. He looked not too happy, but he said nothing about it. "Why don't you rest in your burrow for a while? You have got to be tired." 

Ghost glared at him before he speedily traced his steps back to the set of burrows given to them. Going to Coltsfoot's, he immediately shook the buck awake. 

"What? What is it? Is the warren being attacked? Where's Primrose-rah?" 

Ghost twitched slightly as he realized Coltsfoot was dreaming of the past again. "It's me." 

Coltsfoot's eyes snapped open, revealing his dark brown irises. "Oh, it's you, master. What is it?" 

His master looked around first before whispering in a low voice, "We have to get out of here. And soon." 

"How…how come? We haven't rested much yet…" 

"Talked to a buck. Says the warren only has one doe left. Will kill us three and take the does for themselves. Do you want to die?" 

At this point, Coltsfoot had already risen. He stretched and peered out of the burrow. Once he saw that there was no one around, he turned back to Ghost and said, "Let's go." 

Ghost nodded. "We might be able to sneak around the guards. Wake them up and explain to them. I have something else to do." 

He stepped out of the burrow and entered the one where he found Onion. He did not see him as quickly, so he had to go deeper. The burrow was longer than he expected. Finally, he found Onion, lapping up water in from a water hole. 

"We meet again," Onion said, looking at him. 

"I talked to someone called Pike." 

"Ah, Pike. That good lad. He brings me food always." He yawned. "What is it you want with me?" 

"We are going to leave the warren. If you do not wish to stay locked up here forever, you can come with us." 

Onion looked around the burrow that had been his home for the past few months. It had never occurred to him that he might leave it someday. He sighed. He had no other choice. It was now, or never. "Yes, I will come with you," he said, looking up at Ghost. 

"Tell me. Is there a way to dig away from here?" 

"No. This end of the burrow reaches up near the guards, as Pike told me. There is no way to escape through here. Especially since we cannot dig any further, because of this." He pawed the wall. It had small gray streaks showing through the soil. 

Ghost sniffed it. "A man-thing?" 

Onion nodded again. 

"Then let us break from the guards. It's risky but we might come through." 

Ghost led Onion out from the burrow. His companions were already awake and were loitering out the run. When Onion appeared, they stared at him. 

"Who is that?" Coltsfoot asked. He stared at the lean rabbit cautiously. 

"This is Onion. He is going with us. We need to get out of here. Is everyone ready?" 

The two does nodded, but Burnet spoke up. "See, the thing is, _Chief_, that this 'killing' of us might just be a paranoid assumption. We might just as well have been mistaken." 

"Tell me that when your carcass is hanging down that fence outside." Ghost said angrily. 

Onion nodded, and at this, everyone looked at him. "You are wrong, young buck. This warren is a death hole. Even if they do not kill you, you will slowly wither away into nothingness. I should know. I have been here my whole life, and I did not treasure it." 

Burnet was hushed up, proven wrong once more. He snorted, snorted some more, and finally crouched down beside Corn, waiting for anyone to say anything that will remove everyone's thoughts from him. 

But before that could have happened, two shadows appeared down the run. Ghost hopped up in front of the group, bristling, ready to strike and protect the others, and die, if need be. It was the way his grandfather had taught him. 

"It's okay, it's me!" The voice was muffled. 

Ghost looked up and saw Pike hopping towards them. Behind the small buck was another rabbit, a bit larger than he is. Ghost did not recognize this one, but he did not care. All he said was, "Why are you here? Are you a spy?" 

"I'm not." As he drew nearer, Ghost saw that Pike was holding grass. The rabbit behind him was doing the same. Pike dropped the grass. 

"We brought Onion some food…" Pike said, starting to grow nervous as he saw Coltsfoot beside Ghost. Large rabbits had always intimidated him and he did not feel very safe with the burly buck near him. 

Onion hopped towards him, patting him on the head. "Good lad, Pike. But that is not needed. We will be escaping from this warren, and if you want to, you can come with us." 

Pike nodded. "I would love that." Turning to Ghost, he said, "Sir…this sir with me is Parsley. She's the only doe in our warren…if you won't mind, she'd like to come along." 

Parsley had dropped the grass and was nodding her head. 

Ghost gave his approval with a slight nod. Leading the way, he and his rabbits left the run. 

The plan to escape was simple enough. It was to break through the guards, with Ghost and Coltsfoot striking down anyone who dared attack. 

When the eight rabbits emerged from the warren, the guards immediately saw them. They immediately ran straight towards them, grunting and baring their front teeth. 

"Go," Ghost said. 

The rabbits bolted away, managing to slip past the guards. The guards were not dissuaded. They tore after them. One guard managed to come close to Corn, who was running slower than the rest. He leaped on top of her, knocking her to the ground. 

Corn squealed hard, kicking her hind legs in a fragile attempt to get away. Suddenly, she saw Ghost slamming hard against the guard with his head. 

He brought him away from Corn, and repeatedly cuffed him on the head. Even then, the guard managed to get up. He raised his paw, claws exposed, to slash at Ghost, but during the process he lifted his head, leaving his neck exposed. 

Before his claws came into contact with the gray rabbit, he had leaped up, locking his jaws around the guard's neck. The guard kicked rapidly as he felt his neck throbbing, Ghost's teeth burying deep into them. But he soon lost his strength and he slumped down, his eyes open. 

Ghost dropped him and licked his lips. He turned around, striking down another guard who was stalking him, and killing him in the same manner. 

"Get moving! Come on, Corn!" Ghost cried as he cuffed the next buck loudly. Corn quickened her pace. 

Suddenly, someone cried, "Look out behind you sir!" 

Ghost heard it soon enough. He turned around and saw a buck leaping for him. He flattened himself down the ground. Coltsfoot suddenly arrived. He grabbed the buck's exposed hind leg and shook it wildly. 

The buck shrieked and clawed him across the shoulder, leaving an open wound, but that was his last draw, for Coltsfoot had dropped him and had headed for his vulnerable neck. 

Panting, Coltsfoot growled at another buck, his wound bleeding and matting down his cream fur, turning it into a pinkish hue. 

"Stop it!" 

Coltsfoot and Ghost turned around and saw Bark. He was holding Burnet by the neck, his eyes gleaming. 

At first they all thought Burnet was dead, but they heard his silent moaning. More inspection revealed the fact that he was not even wounded. Bark was simply holding on to his light body, just like a doe holds her kittens. 

"Drop him Bark," Ghost said, knowing this was just what the badger was thinking when he held her cub hostage for his own safety. "Drop him before I tear your eyes off you." 

"Give it up," Bark said, dropping Burnet and holding on to him firmly with both paws so his voice could be heard. "Before I kill him. I will, you know." 

"Leave him behind, he is nothing but trouble," Coltsfoot whispered to Ghost. 

"What do you want Bark?" Ghost asked, ignoring Coltsfoot. Coltsfoot then realized that Ghost was not leaving anyone behind, even though Burnet was the most annoying little pipsqueak rabbit in the world. He stepped back, grunting lightly. 

"Get back to the warren. All of you." Bark grasped the squirming Burnet once more around the neck and carried him back to the nearest hole. 

The rabbits had no other choice but to follow him. 

***

Bark led them back into Mushroom's burrow. There, he dropped Burnet, knowing very well that the rabbits could not escape now, and said earnestly, "Chief, the _hlessi_ tried to escape." 

The Chief rabbit turned around. He looked at Ghost firmly and asked, "Why?" 

"We are _hlessi_. We can do whatever we wish," Ghost answered, snorting. 

Mushroom chewed on a bit of _flayrah_ for some time. When he finally talked, he said, "And bring our own bucks and our only doe away with you? Onion, I haven't seen you for a long time." 

Onion cursed him loudly, and a guard had to cuff him down the neck before he shut up. 

"They wanted to come with us. It seems that you have not been treating them very well." 

Parsley whimpered, then finally said, "He's right Chief! I've had enough of this warren! All my past litters have died, if you haven't recalled, because we never had enough flay! What we have outside is always thin…and you don't allow us to go away to a new warren!" 

She whimpered some more, and Pike had to calm her down. She buried her head in his shoulder. 

"Is that true, eh? I haven't been treating you very well, eh? Our only doe here? Tell me, why should I not treat you well, dearest Parsley?" 

Pike cursed. 

The Chief rose up. "Stay here _ hlessi_." 

"Why should we? You'll kill us!" Coltsfoot retorted hotly. "Us bucks anyway!" 

A surprised look came into Mushroom's eyes, but he removed them as quickly as they appeared. "Kill you? Why, I'd never dream of such a thing, buck!" 

He turned to a guard beside him, who quickly flew towards Ghost. This had been totally unexpected and Ghost had not the time to defend himself. 

Coltsfoot blocked the rabbit's attack, claiming it for himself. When the rabbit pulled back, there was a long strip of wound across his face. 

Gasping for breath, he said, plainly, "You have to try better than that if you want to kill my Chief, Mushroom." 

As this drama was going on, Bark watched the _hlessil_ with interest. He had started to admire them ever since they refused to leave the helpless Burnet, and he knew that was something few in their warren would ever do. And Coltsfoot's blocking the guard's attack increased his admiration even more. 

He inched close to Ghost and quietly whispered something in the rabbit's ear. Ghost looked at him with surprise, but it quickly died down as Ghost flew at the nearest guard, tearing him down as much as he could in a small burrow. 

The other guards jumped on top of him, but Bark attacked them. Coltsfoot, seeing the sudden onslaught, started to go for them, but he heard Ghost's voice beyond the din. "Save them! Get them away from here!" 

Obedience was Coltsfoot's first priority. He bullied their rabbits out of their burrows, hoping that he got them all out. He saw that he indeed got all. He drove them out of the warren, meeting up with several more guards. These he managed to cuff and bite into unconsciousness. Then, he dashed away, the others at his heels, as they disappeared into the nearby bush and waited, their hearts pounding rapidly. 

Ghost and Bark fought bravely side-by-side, but they were badly outnumbered. Finally, they decided to dash out and hope for the best. As they got out of the burrow, cuffing a few rabbits soundly, they heard the eerie laughter of Mushroom, something that was rarely heard in most rabbits. 

"Go and leave! Yes! LEAVE! And may the _hombil_ and _lendri_ and hawks and man and a million other things get you! I assure you, the last laughter is mine! Ahahahahaha!"

***

Coltsfoot finally peered out into the warren. From where he was, he finally saw a gray and a brown rabbit emerge, bleeding from head to toe. Both rabbits dashed towards them, with a pack of screaming bucks after them.   
  


*** 

Then there was a shot. 

And more shots. 

And Corn, who was still traumatized from the incident with Willow, barreled straight into the nearest rabbit, which happened to be Onion. Onion patted her reassuringly, quietly whispering, "There, there lassie." 

Then silence reigned the air once more. 

Ghost suddenly appeared, his gray fur strewn here and there with flecks of blood, and a few bigger slashes across his feet. Coltsfoot drew a sigh of relief as he saw him. 

"Where is Captain Bark?" Parsley asked. 

At her question, Bark appeared. He was also bleeding, as Ghost was, though not as much, since his rabbits had been uneasy towards attacking him and thus gave him the opportunity to attack sooner. 

"What happened…?" Burnet asked, shivering, his ears drooping down his head. 

Coltsfoot peered back down the warren. What he saw shocked him. Here and there lay the bodies of what was part of Mushroom's Owsla. There were large holes in them, and when Coltsfoot looked across the field, he saw a group of men talking, burning white sticks in their mouths, and holding guns in their hands. 

He turned back to the rabbits. "Let us leave this place now." 

Ghost nodded. Looking at Bark, he said, "Is the truce broken now, or will you come with us?" 

"I will come with you. You seem like a lively good bunch," he said, smiling. 

"Then we will be glad to have you." 

The rabbits walked away. Bark pressed close against Ghost and quietly whispered, "I always thought that rabbit was nuts." 


	16. Worries Along the Way

**16 – Worries Along the Way **

It was the second day from their escape, and the rabbits were resting somewhere, eating the coarse, unpalatable, but otherwise edible grass, and chewing their pellets. Coltsfoot was stretched across the ground beside Onion and Parsley, twitching his ears as he listened to Onion tell the doe an Elahrairah story. Ghost was quietly dozing on his own, while Bark and Fern where playing bob-stones, whereas Pike watched them. 

Burnet suddenly appeared. The small buck was hopping about, looking a bit distraught. Upon reaching his companions, he hurriedly asked, his nose wiggling with surprising speed, "Has anyone seen Corn?" 

The rabbits looked at him, regarding his question. In truth, no one has seen Corn for the past few hours, and it was only then that it occurred to them that they might be missing. Ghost, who had immediately awoken from his light nap, suggested a search party, which was immediately accepted. Onion, Pike, and Fern started searching the whole area, while Ghost started to question everyone where they last saw her. 

They all shrugged, and Burnet told him he just suddenly realized she had been missing. "Oh, I do hope she wasn't taken by an _elil_!" Burnet moaned. He paused, sniffling and whimpering, then rubbed his face with anxiety. "She's the only decent doe here and I would have been more than willing to fight all of you bucks for her." 

"Pity, I thought she was nice too, and I can whip you any time," Coltsfoot muttered. He set off to search for her as well, silently praying to Frith not to let anything happen to the particular doe. Not only was she his particular favorite among them, if they lose another doe, all of them bucks would be tearing at each other for the remaining two. Although he doubted whether anyone would choose to fight over Fern. She's been annoying the bucks with her constant whining and he was sure no one would dare take her in for his mate. 

"Did he really mean it by Corn being the only decent doe?" Parsley asked, looking over at Burnet and sniffling. Bark hopped to her and patted her on the head encouragingly. 

"Don't worry old girl, once you get more flay into you they'll be wringing each others' necks over you." He grinned. 

"What do you mean old girl?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye. 

"Um…I really didn't mean that…" Bark started, swallowing. He inched away before Parsley gets mad, and when a doe gets mad, she _really_ gets mad. That's the female race for you! 

For some time the rabbits loitered about. Burnet was almost tearing himself apart with frustration and he had resorted to kicking a tree with his hind legs, grunting and growling. Bark silently muttered something about him not being able to fight any rabbit even with this 'training', and Burnet threatened to cuff him. Only he stopped when he came face to face with Bark and saw how big and sturdy he was, compared to him. Whining, he slinked back and started cursing. 

There was suddenly a cry, and the rabbits immediately recognized it as Pike's voice. "We found her!" he cried. 

The rabbits scampered towards the source of the sound, and soon found Pike peering into a deeply dug scrape, almost a burrow without a run. The other rabbits who had been looking for Corn also appeared, having have heard the call as well. 

"Where? Where?" Burnet asked, hopping up and down. Pike looked at him, muttered something about 'never seeing a rabbit so hyperactive and may Frith help me', stepped back and pointed to the scrape. 

Burnet scrambled into the scrape, despite Pike's suddenly frantic efforts to stop him. He disappeared into the scrape, and for a while the rabbits stood there, looking at each other, half-worried and half-curious. They turned to Pike, who simply shrugged and said, "Go see for yourself." 

There was a sudden shriek, and half the rabbits almost bolted if Burnet's head had not appeared out of the hole. He scampered out, his nose bleeding, and shook himself. Upon seeing his companions' curious gazes at him, he immediately said, "WHAT?" 

"Lick your nose," Coltsfoot said, watching the tiny red drop on Burnet's muzzle. 

Burnet sat down and started licking his nose. 

"So?" Fern asked, looking at Burnet. "Hello, Burnet? What's with Corn?" 

"She uh…has kittens," Burnet said. He rubbed his fine whiskers with his paws, then looked at Fern intently. "You're a doe. And her friend, nonetheless. She won't choke you if you go in there." 

Fern decided that he was telling the truth, and practically knew that Corn would not attack her even if she _did_ have kittens, because she really didn't trust Burnet that much. She entered the scrape as everyone watched and was gone for quite some time. When she emerged, she had a slight smirk in her face. 

"You won't believe this! Corn has kittens!" 

At which Burnet immediately whined, "Why didn't you believe me when _I_ told you?" 

"Are you sure? I had no idea she was kindling!" Coltsfoot remarked. To himself, he thought, _well, there goes little Coltsfoots for you laddie. Gotta wait till those kits leave. _

"Yeah, neither did I," Fern told him, nodding her head. She sat down beside Ghost, wiggled her whiskers at him for no apparent reason, and then said, "I do hope I get my own sometime, huh Ghost?" 

Ghost ignored her, hardly grasping any context in her message, hardly even interested in knowing. Rather, he was interested in what was going on with Corn's litter, so in a matter-of-fact tone, he asked, "How many?" 

"I wish I have about five, but any…" 

"Corn's." Ghost finished. Coltsfoot started snickering, and Bark joined him. 

"She had four, and one's gone. It's obviously normal so she isn't making a big deal about it. There's one buck and two does out of those that survive." She winked at Ghost again, thereby making Coltsfoot snicker some more. Ghost, still clueless as to what was happening, ignored Fern even more as he started to lick his paw. 

Burnet was obviously concerned about Corn as he paced around endlessly. Then, he finally turned to Fern and had the nerve to ask, "Who was the father?" 

"Why, it was Wheat, one of the guards. She doesn't care much about him though. Why else would she leave the warren without him?" 

At this Burnet's face immediately brightened up. He sat down outside the scrape, peered into the hole, and then laid down as he started playing with a tuft of grass by blowing at it. 

"We have a big problem though," Ghost said, dropping his paw and looking at the other rabbits. "How do we travel any farther? Corn will obviously not leave her young behind, and she can't carry them all the way as we travel." 

"He's right," Burnet said, eating the grass he had been playing with a while ago. His mouth full, he continued, "I say we leave most of our rabbits here and set the strong ones off to find a nearby safe field where we can stay until the kittens are old enough to walk. We can even perhaps find that warren spot we've been looking for, if we can. But we do know one thing. Two things, to be precise. We must not travel while she's like this, but neither can we go about seeking shelter in another warren, or what happened back there in Bark's warren may happen again." 

The rabbits stared at him, mouths agape. Never in the long and short times they have known Burnet had they known him to speak something that made _sense_! It was actually surprising, to say the least, and when Burnet raised his head, he had to shout, "WHAT?" again to remove the staring eyes from him. 

"I hate to agree with _him_," Coltsfoot said, glaring at Burnet, who glared back. "But he's right, sir." He turned to Ghost. "What are your decisions, master?" 

Ghost nodded. "The rabbits I'll choose will have to go and find us either a temporary shelter, or a permanent one." 

"Sir, you can't go," Bark said firmly. "If you choose the rabbits you should not choose yourself." 

Coltsfoot supported his statement. "Yes sir, you will have to stay here and protect those that stay. They're safer with you than with anyone else." He confirmed what he just said by nodding his head. 

"Yes Ghost, it will be nice for you to stay here," Fern cooed. 

Ghost still ignored her. Fern was getting annoyed. Here was the handsomest rabbit of them all and he wouldn't pay attention to her. She started thinking angry thoughts, some of which seemed to be, "He'll be mine someday," and "I wonder what's for dinner," and "How did that thought get up there?" 

"Fine then, I'll stay," Ghost said. It occurred to Fern that he still didn't seem to have heard what she just said, although half the rabbits were already snickering at Fern's flirting. "Coltsfoot and Bark. You both will be excellent for the job. In fact, you already volunteered." 

"Yes, he realized it!" Bark said, jumping up and down. "Woo hoo!" 

This sent various stares from most of the rabbits, but Bark honestly didn't care. 

The three rabbits from his home warren stared at him in shock. "Never in my life," Pike started to say. "Never have I seen Captain Bark act that way before." 

"Well, you never see him free, have you?" Parsley asked, recovering from her amazement as she started to groom Pike's ears. 

"Captain Bark's always the good one, I recall," Onion said as he groomed his own ears. "He's always doing his job, but he always has been good." 

"Also, Burnet will be going." 

"WHAT?" Burnet had said the expression the third time during the day, but he being he, it was not surprising. Burnet was weird. Then again, all of the rabbits were weird. So are all creatures in the planet. Even me. But that, in turn, is not in the story… 

In any case, Burnet stared at Ghost in shock. "Why me? Why did you bring me?" 

"You thought of the idea," Onion pointed out. "It's natural for him to decide to make you go." 

"Hrumph. I say something…" 

"Good for once," Coltsfoot added. 

"Stop finishing my sentences!" Burnet screamed, extremely frustrated. 

From below the hole, Corn cried out, "Will you keep it down up there?" 

"Yes dear," Burnet said, emitting stares from the other rabbits. 

"Hey, Burnet," Onion said, hopping close to him. He scratched his neck. "You want to impress Corn? Go with them." 

Being the smart rabbit that he is, Burnet saw through what he just said and knew it was a plan to make him come. But he did have a point there. So, calming down a bit, he grinned at Onion. "Okay, I'll come." He hopped off. "Come on now! Coltsfoot! Bark!" 

"It's Captain Bark," Bark said. 

"And Captain Coltsfoot." 

"How come?" 

"Just go with it," they both said simultaneously. 

The three rabbits left, Burnet leading the way. As they disappeared from sight, Parsley, who had not overheard the conversation Onion and Burnet had, asked, "Why is he so enthusiastic all of a sudden?" 

"Well, they're weird," Pike said, who had not heard it either. "They're all weird. We're all weird. That's life." 

Ghost looked at him, perplexed, then he scratched his ear, and hopped off to some corner to continue his disturbed nap. Fern laid down beside him, but he ignored her as he was wont to do. 

***

Two days later on, Pike, who was on the lookout despite his small size, yelled, "They're here!" at the top of his voice. The threesome had arrived, exhausted, hungry, but positively happy about their findings. 


	17. Primroserah Warren

**17 – Primrose-rah Warren **

Convincing Corn to carry her kits was honestly the most impossible thing the rabbits had done. They bribed, they shrieked, they ordered, to no avail. But after Burnet told her all about the place they had found, making sure not to spare any exciting detail, she half-heartedly agreed. She carried one of the kittens herself. As for the other two, she entrusted them to Bark and Burnet. 

The first thing that happened to them was that the buck kitten, who was the one Burnet was holding, unfortunately, stopped running. Corn wept a bit, but she had to continue on. When Burnet apologized to her, she good-naturedly told him that she expected this. 

When they reached the place and had dropped the kittens off into a safe, warm nest above the ground, they just gasped. The three bucks they had sent had done a good job in finding the place. 

The 'place' was actually an oddly shaped hill. To reach it, the rabbits had to clamber uphill which had proved hard for both Bark and Corn, with the kittens dangling from their gentle mouths, but they managed to succeed, anyway. The hill was big, not very high but big, and it had a quite shallow crater in the middle, which was grass-covered. How it got there, no one would know, but none of them questioned its existence, knowing it only to be there and that was it. Beside the hill, a stream flowed, and a few trees scattered across the area, including the crater itself. 

Ghost scampered around the mouth of the crater. As he inspected it, he realized that it was completely safe to clamber down, just as safe as it is to clamber down any normal hill. Before allowing any of the rabbits to do so, he did it himself. Down the crater he walked, seeing that it had excellent flay which would be plentiful even for more than a hundred rabbits. He pawed the ground. It was soft, but not moist. Excellent for digging. 

There was one thing that bothered him. That was the smell of the place. Though very old, he could still detect the horrible smell of man. He decided to ignore this, however. It wasn't likely that they'll be coming back, since the smell was too old. Man probably dug this crater here and decided to abandon it at the last moment. 

He walked back up hill and to where his companions were situated, resting beside a tree. 

"Oh Frith, this flay is soft and moist and hardly tough like those grasses back home," Parsley said, nibbling on a grass blade. 

"But do you think it's safe?" Pike asked. 

Ghost looked at Coltsfoot and Bark. He did not smile, but he seemed to have something in store for them. "Come here you two," he said, bring them far from the others while watching them for any signs of rebellion that most rabbits have when they found something good and the one in charge haven't. There was none. His faithful Coltsfoot had his head held low, and Bark was doing the same. 

"You have found a good place." Ghost nodded towards them. His voice was still calm and cool, but it hinted a tone of pride. "There are no other rabbits fit to provide us with a better Owsla than you." 

"You mean…" Coltsfoot stammered. His ears wiggled with excitement as he walked slowly to Ghost. "I am not dreaming, am I, sir?" 

"Let me cuff you to see," Bark said, grinning widely from ear-to-ear. 

"Sir, it is an honor to be your Captain of the Owsla!" Coltsfoot exclaimed. He bowed his head sincerely. 

Bark, quite as happy in receiving the same title as him, did the same. Ghost nodded his approval. "So as we are your Captains, sir, so will you be our Chief for now and for as long as you shall rule," Bark said. It had been an oath that they taught him when he became Captain back in Mushroom's Owsla. 

Coltsfoot shook his head. "Not for as long as you shall rule sir. For as long as Frith is in the world, I shall be honored to serve you." 

*** 

When the three arrived, Burnet immediately said something that immediately annoyed Coltsfoot to a great extent. Seeing this as an opportunity to both bash his most-hated Burnet and to exercise his authority as Captain, he cuffed him soundly. 

"What was that for?" Burnet whined. He hid behind Onion's back and pointed at Coltsfoot. "He hurt me!" he cried. The he sniffled and started to make himself look pathetic. Not that he didn't, anyway… 

"Coltsfoot, as a Captain you have to learn not to abuse your authority," Bark scolded Coltsfoot lightly. He then leaned against the tree, sniffing the cool windy air that blew towards them. Some of the rabbits heard this remark and crowded against both of them, asking them various questions. "In any case, let us cuff them, shall we?" Bark asked, jokingly. The rabbits fled back to their positions, afraid of what Bark just said. 

Coltsfoot snickered. Ah, jokes were fun, weren't they? 

"What you just abused was my adviser, Captain Coltsfoot," Ghost suddenly said, approaching the quivering Burnet and looking him straight in the eye. Seriously. He hadn't actually thought the incident funny. Heck, you could have made a dozen jokes and he wouldn't have twitched a lip. 

"Adviser?" most of the rabbits chorused. "HIM?" all of the rabbits asked. 

"Hey, he's annoying, but he's smart," Onion suddenly pointed out again. 

"Ahhhh!" most of the rabbits exclaimed. 

Burnet beamed proudly, especially making sure that he looked at Corn first. Ever since he found out that she had mated, kindled, and given birth, he had started to show more of his affection to her. To his dismay, the doe was ignoring him as she licked her kittens clean, happy to see that both were all well. 

"In any case, what do you think of this place, Onion?" Ghost asked him. He knew it was okay enough, but he needed to see the other rabbit's insights, and who was better to ask than Onion himself? 

The sensible rabbit smiled, happy to see that their Chief regarded him enough to ask him a question. Mushroom had never done this in his whole life. Of all the Chiefs, he has got to be the most rotten of them all. 

"Yes sir," Onion said. He stood up on his hind legs and pointed across the horizon with his paw. "See there? Since this place is elevated, so we can see most of what is coming here, which will prove valuable for elil or any attacks. Also, as you can see, we obviously have a farm down there. It is near enough to provide us with flayrah for garden raids, but far enough not to be a bother. It'll take about half a day to reach, which is very good." He paused for a breath and looked at him. Ghost was listening, seriously and intently. This proved a good thing and he was glad. "The only bad thing is that the place reeks of man, which is probably why nobody has settled in here yet. Can you smell it?" 

Ghost nodded. "Yes, but I disregarded it. Though strong it seems old. You know man. They probably dug that crater too. I have never seen a hill like this before." 

"Yes, I think you are right about it being old. If it isn't, there should not have been any grass down there." 

"We're safe here then?" 

"Very likely sir. Very likely." He chuckled. 

"Good. Get down there now. Gentle with the kittens." 

The rabbits obeyed him quickly as they descended down the crater. 

Fern approached Ghost and nuzzled him. Corn's litter had somehow triggered her liking for the rabbit, just like it had triggered Burnet's now-infatuation with Corn. "Speaking of titles," she started. 

Ghost forgot she was even there. He was already sliding down the crater. 

*** 

Upon arriving there, Ghost saw the two does, Corn and Parsley, starting on digging two separate runs. He inspected their work for a while, noting that he was right about the ground being soft enough to dig. Then, he hopped several meters away from them and using his fore legs, he opened another hole. 

"What in the world are you doing sir?" Coltsfoot asked, perplexed. He walked towards Ghost and tilted his head. 

Ghost, his forepaws already halfway through the soil, stopped for a moment and licked the dirt off his paws. "Making a run," he said plainly. 

"Why?" 

"You weren't expecting the does to do all the digging, were you?" Ghost dropped down on all fours and started digging again. He soon disappeared deep into the ground, but Coltsfoot knew he was still there. He peered into the hole he was making, looking at him curiously. 

Finally, Coltsfoot blurted out, "Yes, I was." 

Somehow Ghost managed to turn around the run he was digging as he emerged from it, shaking his body loose of dirt. He sat down and looked at Coltsfoot. 

"He's right though," Bark said. He had been watching the conversation while on _silflay_, and like Coltsfoot, he was not enthusiastic about digging burrows. "Bucks dig scrapes, but burrows? That's for does." He rubbed his whiskers with both paws. "It's unnatural for us to dig, you know. Burrows I mean." 

"We only have three does, and they're just as exhausted as us bucks. One has a litter to feed…" 

"…and the other can't even dig scrapes," Coltsfoot snorted, eyeing Fern who was a bit of a distance away, talking to the otherwise busy does. Not that he still agreed he ought to dig. He just said that for the sake of saying it. 

"I get the point," Bark replied. He craned his neck to scratch it, but licked his hind leg instead. "But I'm not used to it." 

"Well you better get used to it, Captain Bark," Ghost said. He turned towards the other bucks, who were busy resting and playing bob-stones. Standing up on his hind legs, he called to them loudly. The three rabbits stooped up, having have heard him, and hurriedly lollopped towards him, ears bouncing behind them. 

Onion stood up in front of Ghost. "What is it Ghost-rah?" 

"Even if he made me adviser I'm still not going to call him Ghost-rah," Burnet muttered. He still rebelled against all authority, even though it would be behind their backs, but he looked up at Ghost anyway, curious as to what he needed from them. 

"I want you to dig." 

It came as a blow, but mostly only to him. 

"Help the does dig the burrows, but don't dig too far. Just enough for this run and that to meet, with a few smaller runs leading to a few burrows." 

"Yes sir, right away sir!" Pike said enthusiastically. He hopped over to the does with Onion following behind him. 

Bark looked over in surprise. "Is it just me, or does digging seem fun to him?" 

"That's a good example for you," Ghost pointed out as he scratched his ear. "Now get to work lads. The sooner we're done with this, the better." Having said that, he walked back to the hole he had been digging in and started shoving dirt away once more. 

"Well, that settles it," said Coltsfoot, shrugging at Bark, who shrugged back. 

"Weird I tell ya! This is weird!" Burnet protested. 

"Come on Burnet, quit yer yapping and start yer digging," Bark grabbed Burnet by the nape of the neck, just like during that incident with his warren, but this time, it was in a friendly manner. He dragged Burnet off, while the buck was screaming, 

"This warren is weird! Some day I'll prove that…!!!" 

"What does he mean by weird?" Coltsfoot asked as he dropped into the hole Ghost was making to help him enlarge the run. 

"We're all weird. That's life," Ghost said, quoting Pike's words. 

Coltsfoot looked at him. For the first time in his life, Ghost had said something that actually resembled a joke. Although the rabbit didn't mean it. Well, there was a first time for everything, and half-stunned, Coltsfoot started to dig clumsily. 

*** 

The two entrances had met and the burrows were dug, leaving Ghost to make plans with the warren's main construction. He had considered making very deep burrows like those back at Forest, which would prove very useful but quite hard to make, especially with the small number of rabbits he had Calling on his two Captains and a very unenthusiastic adviser for a bit of advice, he made more plans that actually made sense even when told to the simpler rabbits of the group. These plans were set out, but only little by little. The extra burrows were not yet needed, and as far as everyone was concerned, they were snug and safe in the little haven of theirs. 

"What will you name this warren, then?" Bark asked, approaching Ghost, who was silently crouching in a corner as he was used to doing. He still was not very friendly and refused to socialize when there was nothing to socialize about. 

"Names are of no concern to a well-built warren," Ghost answered. In truth, he wouldn't have minded a name, except he could not think of any. He just wasn't that kind of rabbit. 

"But surely you have thought of one?" 

"Sir, might I suggest something?" Coltsfoot asked, who couldn't help but overhearing their tiny conversation. He hopped towards them. 

"Fine," Ghost said, placing his head on his paw, hoping Coltsfoot does not come up with something stupid…again. 

Half-expecting to call it _Homba_ after his two fox friends, he was surprised when Coltsfoot told him, "This place is something Primrose-rah should be proud of. Yes, let us call it Primrose-rah Warren." 


	18. The Farm

**18 – The Farm **

A few days passed by, and it was during this time that Bark proposed something that made everybody both excited and worried. 

"Raid a garden?" Coltsfoot asked as he cleaned his face gingerly. He had never raided a garden before. Dog's-Tail and Primrose's Owsla hardly gave any pointers towards garden raiding. Rather, what he had learned, even as a young kitten, were purely fighting and war tactics, and loyalty to boot. Garden raiding was out of the question. 

Bark nodded joyfully. He did not need to rely on training in order to learn how to raid a garden. He had been doing it for most of his one and a half year life, and was proud of it. During all of his raids he never lost a single rabbit. "Don't worry Captain Coltsfoot," he reassured the younger rabbit. "We can manage. The farm's only about half a day away." 

"We can't leave them behind," Coltsfoot firmly stated, stamping his leg to emphasize what he just said. 

"Oh come now Coltsfoot, leaving them for a day won't kill them. It's unlikely. And we'll bring fresh _flayrah_ for them to nibble on." 

"In that case, go on Captains!" Burnet told them, grinning happily. "Fresh _flayrah_!" 

"Then you'll come with us," Bark told him. 

Burnet's face fell. 

"But…" 

"Oh come on lad, if you want _ flayrah_ you've got to work for it, right?" Bark snickered. 

"Abuse. It's all I get," Burnet muttered. 

"Hey, if he's coming, I'm not going to miss this," Coltsfoot grinned widely. He turned to Ghost, who was sitting a bit away from them. "That is, if it's okay with you, sir." 

"It's fine with me. In fact, I'll be going with you." 

"Really?" Coltsfoot asked, surprised at this. 

"Yes," he confirmed. 

"Very well sir," Bark replied, standing up and patting Burnet firmly, almost tapping him. "Come now lad, a bit of _flayrah_ into you would be excellent. You'll certainly be less scrawny by the morrow. And I'll bring you some too, Parsley, mind you." 

Parsley glared at him, somehow realizing that he was indicating she was scrawny as well. 

Noticing the glare and the awful way Parsley grit her teeth, Bark grabbed Burnet, who screamed and kicked and squealed, by the neck and said, "Let's go sir! Come on lads! We'll be back in the morning." 

"Take care Ghost-rah!" Fern called after Ghost, who did not even realized she said anything. 

"Oy, she gets worse every day," Coltsfoot muttered, shaking his head. 

*** 

Seven hours of lolloping and three hours of _silflay_ finally brought the four rabbits over to the edge of the farm buildings. They ran under a bush for cover while Bark peered out over the hedge, trying to see if there was any danger or not. 

"It seems that this place is perfectly safe," Bark whispered to his companions. He sat down, his nose quivering. 

Ghost was the first to scramble out of the bush, followed by Coltsfoot. Burnet stayed put, and it took a lot of reassuring effort in part of the others in order for him to even take so much of a risk as to poke his head outside. After a few more minutes, he finally decided that he wanted to eat some _flayrah_ and the sooner that this was over the better, so he hopped out and gingerly followed his companions as they turned around the fence that blocked them from the farm and entered its premises. 

The first thing they noticed was the apparent absence of a dog. This Bark found very strange, and upon inspecting the farm a bit more, he concluded that there seems to be none in this place. That, in itself, makes no sense, and Bark, trying to convince himself that this was no trick, walked around the place while calling out, "Here doggy, doggy, doggy." 

"Hey stop it, Bark! Or a dog might appear!" Burnet shrieked. 

It was too late. There was a silent panting behind them, and as the four turned around, they saw two dogs looking at them, tongues lolling out, eyes shining yellow. 

Burnet gulped as one of the dogs pushed her face towards him. Fearing the worst, he shut his eyes and started to mumble a prayer. 

There was a sickening slurp, and when Burnet opened his eyes, he saw the dog patiently licking him. He squeaked, then bolted for the nearest cover. 

Bark went after him to make sure he was not hurt, while Ghost and Coltsfoot stared at the dog who just kissed their companion. Coltsfoot finally found the nerve to approach the dog. 

As he got nearer, he saw that the dog was long, but only a few inches taller than he was. The other was exactly the same. Both dogs were light brown, with white markings all over them. The rabbits did not know it but they were corgis, and very friendly ones too. 

Very friendly is, perhaps, an understatement, for the dog immediately pressed her nose against Coltsfoot while she wiggled her tailless butt, sniffling happily. She barked, and then she scampered off into a slightly ajar door. Her companion followed her. 

"They're very strange creatures you know," Coltsfoot said, turning around to meet Bark, who was dragging Burnet by the ears. "They obey man like mad. Who'd obey man? They're rotten creatures." 

"Come on you…I saw the dogs, they won't hurt us," Bark hollered at Burnet. When Burnet would not budge, he dropped him and then shouted loudly into the rabbit's ears, so that they were ringing, "IF YOU KEEP THIS UP I WILL PERSONALLY TELL THE DOGS TO STRIP YOU OFF YOUR FLESH!" 

"Captain Bark…" 

"NOW WHAT?" Upon seeing who said it, he calmed down. "Oh, sorry Ghost-rah." 

"There's the _flayrah_ now," Ghost said, motioning over with his paw. The rabbits stood up and saw it…rows and rows of lettuces and carrots alike. 

"Let's go," Bark was mesmerized by the tons of food just waiting to be picked. His short ears stooping straight up, he lollopped towards the vegetables and started nibbling on a carrot's green top. Then he pulled it from the ground and started to eat the fresh orange roots. 

Coltsfoot and Burnet hopped towards him and started taking their picks on the food. As they nibbled and crunched happily, Coltsfoot looked up and saw that Ghost was not with them. He was standing where he left him, and upon seeing this, he called, "Aren't you going to eat? Sir?" 

"I need to inspect something. I'll come back very soon," Ghost called back. 

Coltsfoot nodded, and at this, Ghost immediately left. 

Ghost jumped on top of a wooden box as he peered into a window from the outside. He had an important reason for coming here, and it wasn't _flayrah_. He pressed his nose against the strange glass and looked around the room inside. He saw nothing, so he jumped down and started searching around the place again. 

He saw another window, and a steel garbage can right beside it. Gathering his strength, he leaped on it and managed to regain both his foothold and his balance. When he peeked into the window again, he saw a rabbit staring at him with hazel brown eyes. 

"Can you hear me?" he asked. 

It appeared that the rabbit could not. He tapped on the glass. Then he jumped down the garbage can and started to walk around the house again, trying to gain access inside. 

He once more reached the place where the dogs had literally licked Burnet, and saw the open door. He had no idea what was inside, and he knew that going in was like walking into an _elil_'s den, but he decided to do it anyway. After all, hadn't he stepped into a badger's den and survived? Man, although deadly, is easier to escape from. Besides, he had already done this before. He wasn't much scared. 

He stepped inside the house. It was a kitchen he came into, and he saw another open door. Although he could not make out what these wooden things are, he suspected he might reach the rabbit if he went through it, the same way he did when he reached the kitchen. Considering this a very likely theory, he hopped to the door entrance and paused, sniffing and listening for any signs of danger. 

It seems that the house was empty, so Ghost continued on walking, his nose still moving rapidly. After a while, he finally found the rabbit's scent. He smelled it through a closed door. 

He sat down a bit away from it and asked, "Are you there?" 

"I'm here, Ghost-rah!" 

The rabbit scratched the door. 

"Frithrah, I thought they shot you." 

The rabbit sniffled. "They tried to, but missed. Then one got me and brought me here, sir." 

"Did they hurt you?" 

"Not really sir. A human took care of me. Fed me and took care of me." 

"Really?" 

"Yes sir. But I don't see her anymore during the last few days." 

"Do you know how I can get you out?" 

"Yes, Ghost-rah. Please push the door towards me. I tried to open it myself but it won't budge because it opens this way." 

"What's a door?" 

"This wooden thing in front of us, sir." 

Ghost inspected it. For a moment, he could not help but take wonder once more of man. Last time, he saw glass, a box that talked and had pictures, and a thing that gives water automatically. Now they had things that moved without falling. 

He stood up and pushed the door. It was hard, but he managed to make a small gap big enough for a rabbit to fit in. 

"Come on out, Willow." 

A doe hopped through the gap. She looked sleeker than she was when he last saw her. Willow had the appearance of a Belgian Hare, which is actually a type of rabbit, with a lean body, long legs, and long ears lightly tipped with black. 

"It is good to see you again Ghost-rah," Willow said. Her hazel brown eyes were shining brightly, for she was very happy to finally someone she knew. After the seemingly endless days in this place without company, it was a blessing to see him again. "We have to get out of here soon," she added. "There's some cats here. The dogs are okay, but the cats aren't." 

"Well then, let us go," Ghost trudged away with Willow by his heels as he traced his steps back through the kitchen. 

They had not gone too far when there was a silent hissing. A cat appeared from somewhere, its tail twitching. 

"Get away!" Ghost called as he grunted angrily. 

The cat was a ginger tabby, thus a male, and he looked at them angrily. He hissed again, raising his jowls to expose his long, yellow teeth. To add to the effect, he raised a paw, stretching the claws out. 

"Ghost-rah!" 

Ghost whirled around and saw another cat leaping at Willow behind him. Acting upon sheer instinct, he covered her head with his paws and chest, his body lying sideways from her as the cat's attack fell upon him, tearing his gray coat and wounding him in several areas around his shoulder and face. 

He grunted and kicked back, managing to hit the cat, who sprawled backwards. It hissed loudly, while the ginger tom did the same. 

Another cat suddenly appeared, and at this Ghost mumbled, "Frith in a dunghill. _Embleer_ _pfeffa_!" 

The cats seemingly seemed to be closing upon them, and Ghost growled angrily. 

There was a slight barking and the cats fled. The two corgis appeared. 

Ghost lifted himself up as he looked at the two dogs, who were panting and staring at them with bright eyes. 

"Why save us?" Ghost asked them in hedgerow talk. 

The female dog tilted her head, but she understood him. "You good to girl human," she said, apparently talking to Willow. "We good to you." 

"We are grateful," Willow told them. 

"You leave?" she asked. "She perhaps come back." 

"No, girl human not come back," the other dog told her harshly. "You havta leave 'fore cats come again." He turned to Willow. 

The two rabbits nodded, then they lollopped away, finally reaching the kitchen and slipping out. Ghost saw the three other rabbits waiting for him patiently outside. Coltsfoot and Burnet were holding two thick carrots in their mouths, while Bark was holding a huge lettuce leaf. 

Bark dropped the lettuce. "Who is that with you?" 

Burnet, on the other hand, was rubbing his eyes. He dropped what he was holding as well and said, "Willow? You're alive?" 

As the they asked him various questions regarding on how she survived, Ghost disappeared off again. After they noticed that he was missing, he immediately arrived again, carrying another thick carrot root in his mouth. He nodded and the five rabbits went off towards Primrose-rah…towards home. 


	19. Willow's Escapade

**19 – Willow's Escapade **

Coltsfoot would have given anything to replay that scene when he and the others returned back to Primrose-rah with Willow. The look in both Fern and Corn's faces were something to die for. They were half-surprised and half-disbelieving, and they could only stare and blink at Willow's face for some time after their arrival. 

But pretty soon the excitement died down and the rabbits went back to their daily tasks…_silflaying_, passing _hraka_, eating pellets, talking, playing, and digging. Fern, though, particularly wanted to find out what exactly happened to Willow, but Willow could not blurt out anything and had resorted to hiding in Corn's burrow, who was sympathetic and would not let anyone in, whether to see her, the litter, or Willow herself. 

Late in the afternoon, Willow had fallen half-asleep, more like in a trance. As she was in this state what had happened to her during the past few days suddenly replayed through her mind… 

*** 

Willow was lolloping away, her powerful hind legs kicking the soil behind her as she tried to get away the moment she heard the first shot. Panting and out of breath, she prayed to Frith above that none of her companions have gotten hurt. 

She had gotten quite a distance away before the second shot rang out, narrowly missing her by an inch. She jumped back then crouched down, frozen with fear, the whites of her eyes showing as she started grew _tharn_. 

"Steady now," one of the men said. Willow could see the other raise the gun towards her, aiming the barrel at her head. _This is it… _she thought, shivering. 

There was a sound behind them. The man turned and saw another one. He was gasping for breath and had to stop for some time before he regained it. When he did, he said, "Finally caught up with you." 

"What're you doing 'ere, mate?" one of the others asked, his voice angry. 

"Yer dad wanted you," he told them. He scratched his head, regaining a straight posture. Then he saw the rabbit who was frozen in a spot. 

"I'll shoot this 'un first," the man said. He raised his gun again. 

"Stop it." 

"What's wrong with ya? T'is only a rabbit. Just wanted to shoot it, that's all." 

"Don't shoot it." 

"Who's gonna stop me?" 

"I am." 

"What you gonna do with it?" 

"Give it to me' sister. She likes animals." 

"Well, okay, but I tell ya, t'wouldn't gonna survive in a 'utch." 

The man who wanted Willow alive bent over to her and picked her up. Clutching her tightly to prevent her from escaping, he brought her home. 

Willow was never more shocked in her whole life. She was young, and the human world was something she had never known. When they dropped her off into a small room, she could only stare in apprehension and fear, her eyes white with terror. 

A hand went over her fur and she shivered upon more human contact. "E's cute," the new human said, and at the sound of the strange language Willow found the courage to look up. It was a small girl who was petting her, although she did not know it until then. 

"Hey Willis!" someone called from outside the room. 

"What is it?" The one who answered was, as Willow observed, the man who brought her here. She saw him walk out the room. The stories were right about humans being the strangest creatures on earth. They walked on two legs! 

"Why'd you bring 'er a woild rabbit?" a man thundered. Willow bolted upon the voice, but the human girl held on her tightly. 

"Come on pops, give 'er some space." 

"Woild rabbit's probably sick." 

"I'll clean it up for 'er." 

"T'won't help." 

"Think anything will?" 

There was a bit of silence, but Willow no longer heeded the men. She was staring at this human who was stroking her fur and telling her various human stuff that, as a rabbit, she could not understand. She wanted to get away, but that was not to be, so Willow decided to wait until things were fit be to be right again. 

It was night and Willow was huddled on a corner, quietly chewing on a bowl of hard pellets placed beside her. The food was strange, and if she were any other rabbit she would have abandoned it. But being the mild, go-with-the-flow rabbit that she was, she decided she was too hungry to ignore blessings so she ate, even though she was not getting much enjoyment out of it. 

She finally left the food as she shivered in a corner, trying to make sense of the situation. _Why didn't they kill me? They should have shot me by then. They always said man shoot rabbits. But why did they not? What am I doing here? _

She was still brainstorming when she heard a tiny scratching. She looked up, her nose quivering. 

There was more scratching. When Willow inspected the place, she saw that it was coming from the big wooden thing that seemed to separate this place from the others. She cautiously walked towards it. When she was a bit of distance away from it, she quickly asked, "Who is it?" 

She heard voices that did not seem to be in any relation to her question. 

"It's a rabbit." 

"What's it doing in her room?" 

"Could be danger." 

"Might be." 

"Has to be." 

"We can't take chances." 

"We kill it?" 

"Yes we do." 

"But what if she like it?" 

"What?" 

"What if she like it? What if she not want it killed?" 

It was in hedgerow talk, so gathering up her breath, Willow blurted out in the same language, "Who is it?" 

"It's the rabbit." 

"We be Tan and Skip. Who be you?" 

"I'm Willow." 

"What you doing there?" 

"I know not." 

"You know not?" 

"No." 

"You not gonna hurt our master?" 

"Who be your master?" 

"The girl." 

"No." 

"Really?" 

"I can't." Willow considered that. Even if she wanted to hurt the innocent little girl, she couldn't have been able to do it. She was, after all, just a rabbit. 

She pawed the wooden thing. "You know how I get out?" 

"No," came the reply. "If she want you here we won't let you out." 

"Why?" 

"We dogs. We loyal to master." 

There was a soft padding of feet as Willow realized the dogs had left. She had little idea what dogs were, because if she knew more, she'd be shaking more than she was right now. She hopped off into a corner to sleep, hardly noticing as someone came up to her a bit later and popped her into a hutch. 

Before dawn the next morning, Willow was back in the room, hopping around. Like the rabbit that she was, she had adjusted well enough, and even though she was still apprehensive of the man-world around her, she did not mind it as much as before. 

So now she peered over the bed, looking at the girl curiously. The dogs had called her 'master'. How come? Was she so powerful that even dogs obeyed her? 

She shuffled herself from her position as the girl woke up. The child immediately saw her and happily remarked, whilst picking her up, "'Morning to you too, Prissy." She patted her some more, then went off. 

Willow eventually got used to the human, and in a couple more days she was actually enjoying the constant caress and the high-pitched voice. Although in her heart she remained a wild rabbit, running free across the green grass, she acted better than any tame rabbit. 

Then that fateful day happened. 

Willow was peering over the bed that morning, waiting patiently for the human kid to get up and pat her like she was wont to do. After a while, she curiously poked the unmoving human. 

There was a slight movement as the wooden door creaked open. Willow scampered off into a corner, watching as humans came in and picked something up. 

When she returned to the bed, the human was gone. Off somewhere, she could hear human voices. 

"T'was too soon." 

"But we were expecting this. She's sick." 

"T'least she left happy." 

"Wot you gonna do with the rabbit?" 

"She loved the poor thing. We'll keep it." 

But they ignored her for a whole day, leaving her locked up in the room with only a bowl of water and pellets for her to feed on. And that very next day, Ghost came and took Willow home. 


	20. When Rabbits Dance

**20 – When Rabbits Dance **

The fact that it was mating season wasn't ignored by the rabbits. Squabbles started to rage within most of the bucks, and fights began. They weren't allowed to fight in the way they would had they been fighting with a rabbit they wanted to kill. The fights were merely like wrestles…and endless bickering that resulted in more wrestles… 

Parsley was the first innocent victim of the bucks' attentions. Pike, Onion, Coltsfoot, and yes, even Bark, became sworn enemies as they slashed and squealed and tore at each other's pelts. As it was to be expected, the two Captains had the upper hand, especially with their impressive skill and size… 

But sheer determination, shown largely in part by the devoted Pike, won out in the end. When the tiny buck realized that he was being crushed by the stronger rabbits, he had dragged Parsley into some burrow and there held his ground. 

After half a day, the three decided to give Parsley all up to the strong-minded Pike. Thus in this way, Pike claimed a doe for his own. 

This left Willow, who wasn't very enthusiastic about seeing bucks tear each other almost apart for her sake. She wasn't particularly keen on anyone either, and after watching Onion suffer a quick defeat, half-mauled but not very bloody, she had retired to her burrow. She didn't like fights. It was plain enough in her meek, peaceful nature. 

And Fern? Fern was ignored. She had refused to direct her attentions to anyone, save the Chief himself, and this in itself was bad. But not only that…she had threatened to cuff anyone who even dared so much as _try_ fighting for her, which was a pretty perplexing deal. And that, doubled with her totally un-doe like manners, like refusing to dig every single time, and shouting at almost everybody whenever she felt like it, earned her no suitors… 

Which wasn't bad, in her point of view. She wanted Ghost for herself… 

But it seemed she could not convey the message to him, of how much she liked him. After a week of trying to get his attentions, she realized he was too dense. It was annoying. 

*** 

"Why do you like him so much, anyway?" Willow asked Fern one morning. She yawned, stretching a forepaw, and looked at her friend straight in the face. 

"Well, for one thing, those blue eyes," Fern answered straightforwardly. The doe gave Willow a wry smile. 

Willow looked over to where Ghost was crouching, all alone. "But isn't he…too distant?" she asked, her face suddenly softening. "He's always like that. Sitting alone, hardly talking to any of us unless…unless he had to." She glanced back at Fern. 

Fern shrugged. "That's his charm," she answered. She turned around and hopped away from Willow to go back to the holes for a nap. 

Willow looked back at Ghost. She didn't think that his isolation from them was in any way amusing. He wasn't sick…in fact, he was perfectly healthy. He didn't have any reason to avoid them… 

Did he? 

She hopped back after Fern, in deep thoughts. 

*** 

It was late in the afternoon, and the rabbits were lolloping around the grass, eating and chatting endlessly with each other. There were no fights today. The bucks were simply too tired, and had decided that cool-headed company were better than a doe, at the moment anyway. Stories were passed, and bob-stones were played, and everything seemed perfectly normal. 

That it, until Corn appeared at the mouth of a hole leading underground. She looked particularly distraught, and had quickly hurried over to the others. In a very shaken voice, she said, "Has anyone seen Hop?" 

Hop was one of her two surviving kittens. Coltsfoot, who was moving three tiny gray pebbles under his paw, suddenly looked up and flicked his droopy ears. "Isn't she in your burrow?" he asked. 

"Two smooth, black," Bark said. He suddenly turned to the two rabbits. "What was it about Hop missing?" 

"She's gone, she isn't in the burrow," Corn told him. She sat down, giving a deep sigh. "I asked Violet. She said she didn't see her for a while now. Where could she have gone? She's too young to be wandering about on her own!" 

"Don't worry, we'll find her," Coltsfoot told her cheerfully. He got up and looked at Bark. "They were three, and gray. But anyway, we'll play later on. Hey Burnet!" he yelled. 

"What?!" Burnet yelled back. "I was sleeping!" 

"Hop's missing!" Bark said, getting annoyed. "We got to go look for her." 

"Hop?" the buck asked. He lollopped towards Corn and sat down. "Are you sure you just didn't miss her?" he asked. 

Corn shook her head. "I can't miss her. I couldn't have…" 

"I'll find her!" Burnet quickly told her eagerly. He hopped off across the slope that served as the walls of their secure home. 

Coltsfoot nodded. "Don't worry Corn, she'll show up somewhere soon." He smiled, then hurried off to get the Chief and report the incident to him. 

*** 

Most of the rabbits were starting to give up after more than eight hours of fruitless searching. They found each other near the stream, in the darkness of midnight, each one shaking their heads as they told each other that no, they found nothing, and that they had no idea where she would have gone. 

Corn wasn't hysterical. She took things calmly, but it was apparent that she was very worried. She fidgeted and looked at the stream, giving a deep sigh. "But…" she said, sighing once more, her tail twitching. "Where could she have gone?" 

Ghost turned his head, refusing to answer the question as his attention drifted towards the rabbits. He could not count them, knowing only that they were _hrair_ and that was it, but he could tell who was who, and that was the only thing important as he began to calculate who was there and who was not. It was after a couple of minutes that he realized Coltsfoot wasn't there. 

He flicked his ears as he heard him screaming off ways. He lifted his head, as did the other rabbits, as they stared at the burly Captain running towards them, yelling loudly enough for his vocal cords to break. "It's HOP!" he called. 

He stopped in front of the group, panting, his sides heaving as he caught his breath. Then, he licked his lips and looked up at the group. "I found her. Near the farm." He stopped to scratch a bur off his neck. "She's trapped. Come on, I'll show you." 

"Onion and Pike stay here. There's still the other kitten that needs protection. Corn, I suggest you stay as well. I know you want to see her, however, we aren't sure whether she's still alive or not, and you cannot risk your other kitten's life as well." He turned around to the others, ignoring Corn's utter protests. "Anyone else who'd like to come, come," Ghost immediately said. He nodded to Coltsfoot. Then, the rabbits ran off towards the direction of the farm, leaving Corn sobbing over Hop's plight behind. 

*** 

Burnet peered from behind Coltsfoot's back, looking tentatively at the two brown eyes that shone from under the debris. It was already _ni-Frith_. "How'd she get down there?" he asked. He hopped nearer. The kitten was trapped beneath a pile of wood and was wailing softly. 

"Why are you there?" Bark repeated Burnet's question, but he directed it towards Hop. The doe-kitten shook her head, trembling. 

"Not sure…was exploring…wood came tumbling down…" she answered, shaking with fright. 

Bark stamped his foot angrily. "What would a kitten like you be doing out here in a farm more than half a day away?" he scolded. 

"I was…" Hop answered feverishly. "Exploring…" 

"Exploring? By Frith!" Burnet suddenly exclaimed, making Hop squeal in terror. 

Coltsfoot smiled weakly. "Remind me to make you a runner or a Wide Patrol someday." 

"You're joking," Bark told him. He hopped near the wood and sniffed it carefully. Then, he pressed it with a paw. The wood stayed put, and he shook his head. "We can't get her out. Not unless we dig." He patted the ground with a hind leg and frowned. 

"But the ground's too hard," Ghost told him. He sighed. He suddenly felt he'd grown five years older. Pretty soon, he thought, his gray hair would turn white. And it wasn't going to be a good sight, to be sure. He looked over at Burnet. "You have any suggestions?" 

Burnet stared at him. "Why?" he asked. 

"Obviously, we want to get him out," Willow answered. She had come along with the four bucks, having decided to take the opportunity to visit the farm again. "And you're the smartest rabbit around, aren't you? You have to have some ideas." 

Burnet shrugged and walked over to the pile of wood. "Hmmm…" he said, shaking the wood with a paw. He then stood up on his hind legs and peered around the small dome-shape that the wood had created. "Nope," he suddenly concluded. He turned around and looked at the other rabbits. "I don't think it's possible to get her out. We can dig though. Paws will hurt but that's the only way to get her out. And I'm afraid it'll take us very long." 

Bark paused to consider his words. Then, he hopped in front of the woodpile and started scratching the ground. In no less than five seconds, he stopped and looked at Burnet. "Yes, I was right, this ground is very hard." He sat down and licked his paws. 

"We have to try," Coltsfoot stated. He started digging too, and lasted a few minutes more than Bark. When he stopped, there was a shallow concavity in the soil, but that was all. He turned around and sighed. "Too long," he said. 

"If we keep on like this _elil_ will come upon us." Ghost said. He shook his head. "I'm afraid we can't get her out. It's either us or her. I can't risk this danger. We know the dogs here are safe but what about cats? And there are more of the _hrair_ there than anyone will ever know." 

"You can't do this!" Burnet shrieked, facing the bigger buck and looking at him in the eyes. "You can't do this!" he repeated in a high-pitched voice. "Corn won't have it!" 

"There's nothing we can do," Ghost told him in a firmer voice. "There is no shelter. Tell me if you see one. We can't risk our lives for the sake of _one_ kitten!" 

Burnet stared at him in shock. "So, that's they kind of Chief you are, huh?" he said sarcastically. "When Willow disappeared you did not want us to even _mourn_ for her!" He turned to Willow, who didn't appear to be shocked, but he didn't care as he cried, "Yeah, that's right!" 

"I will not have any of this," Ghost snapped. He sniffed the air before hopping away. "Anyone who wishes to stay and get themselves killed," he said in an angry voice. "Then stay and get killed. But don't expect any help from me." 

"Damn you!" Burnet yelled at the departing rabbit. 

"Stop it!" Coltsfoot yelled back at the small buck. He held Burnet down the ground with both paws. "He may be wrong, but I'm not the one to judge him. And you may be right, but that doesn't mean you can curse him and get away with it!" He bared his teeth at Burnet. 

Burnet kicked him, a blow which Coltsfoot expertly avoided. "Not this time Burnet," he hissed. "You're coming home." 

"What about Hop?" Bark asked, walking beside Coltsfoot. 

Coltsfoot growled. "We can't stay. It's the Chief's orders. And he's right. She's just one rabbit." 

*** 

They haven't traveled for more than two hours when the sky suddenly darkened, and drops of rain began pouring down. Burnet blinked, before looking at Ghost angrily. "She's going to be wet. She'll die. Corn will never forgive me for failing her. And I will never forgive you. You killed her. You killed her!" 

"Shut up," Coltsfoot growled. He shook the water off his coat. 

Ghost, oblivious of the death glares and nasty remarks Burnet had been giving him for the past two hours, looked at the five rabbits and said, "We'll have to break up into groups. We're easy prey here, considering the sudden rain and the fact that we can't smell _elil_ as easily as we could without it. Coltsfoot, go on ahead alone. I know you can handle it. Bark and Burnet will take a different route. I'll take another. We'll meet up near the edge of the hill." 

Grumbling, Burnet hopped after Bark, who had already left. Willow looked at Ghost, curious as to why he picked her to be with him. At her questioning gaze, he said, "I should have known it was going to rain. By then I wouldn't have made anyone who wanted to come to come. I'll take care of you myself." He hopped to the left of the direction Coltsfoot had taken, stopping every now and then so that the doe could catch up. 

It was about after a few minutes of hopping across the wet soil when Willow suddenly spoke up. "Don't take what Burnet said seriously, sir," she said. 

"I never do," Ghost answered, pausing to sniff the humid air, realizing that he could hardly catch a whiff of anything, danger or not. He sighed. "He's right, though." 

"What?" Willow asked, suddenly surprised. She shook herself. "How?" 

Ghost scratched the mud. "I shouldn't leave her." 

"You told yourself, sir. She's just one rabbit. You can't exchange her for the safety of the others." Willow sat down and shook his head. 

"Things were hopeless then," Ghost said. He looked back at the farm. "I'm going to get her." 

"What?" 

Ghost looked at her, the rain dripping down his face. "In a few more hours the rain might seep into her shelter. She'll die. It's the first time I've ever changed my decision, but…" He hopped a step. "I will never forgive myself if I cause another rabbit's death." 

"Cause?" Willow asked. "It's not your fault. It never was." 

"Every single thing," he looked back at her and shook his head. "Every single thing that happens to you, and to the others…it doesn't matter whether I'm more than _hrair_ miles away. It will always be my fault." 

"Is that what it means…to be a Chief?" she asked softly. 

He nodded. "Yes. These are the burdens I carry every single day." 

*** 

Ghost didn't like changing his mind about things, but no one could blame him, really. The sudden rain had made him realize that the ground was now soft, and he could easily dig Hop out…provided she was still alive. He reached the woodpile and sniffed. 

"You there?" he asked. 

There was a faint answer. "Y…y…e…s…" came the stuttering reply. 

He patted the ground experimentally with a paw. Then, he began digging furiously even as the rain came in torrents. He ignored the blinding pain that the cold air caused…ignored the freezing rain. He was wrong. A single rabbit was just a single rabbit, but it was those single rabbits that made up his warren, and every single rabbit was important. 

"Ghost-rah, you're shivering," Willow said. She looked at him, concern in her deep hazel eyes. 

He ignored her, his attentions focused sorely on digging and digging alone. His forepaws dug the ground quickly. He should dig her out in little time. If he waited any longer the ground might turn into pure mud and then he couldn't dig through _that_. 

Willow sighed. So, this was what it was like to be a Chief. She always thought it was about pure power, and luxury. No, now she realized, it was all about responsibilities…lots and lots of responsibilities. And right choices. And a Chief had to do these even at the expense of his rabbits' trusts…even at the expense of his own life. 

So this was what it was, to be a Rah. 

She suddenly flicked her head and blinked. She shook the drops of water off her body. Did she just see a movement up there? She sniffed the air, but found that a useless act as she smelled only the humid atmosphere. 

She tilted her head towards Ghost, who did not seem to notice the slight movement. Half of his body was already underground. It won't take him very long to extract Hop, that was for sure. She looked back from where she saw the movement, and realized she saw it again. 

And then, she saw a quick gleam. Gleaming eyes. Frith, it was an _elil_! 

She glanced at Ghost again. He couldn't stop now. He's gotten too far on his digging. She sighed, stamping the wet ground once, making a splat sound. Then, she hopped towards the direction of the _elil_. 

She heard a growl, and knew that it truly was some sort of predator. Giving a deep sigh, she doubled up her speed. 

As she crashed along the bushes, she heard a roar behind her, and knew instantly that the _elil_, whatever it was, was going after her. _Good_, she thought. She wasn't exactly sure as to what she'll do the moment she had this thing chasing her, but she was glad she'd at least brought it away from Ghost and Hop. Her life didn't matter now, anyway. He at least deserved to live even for a few more seasons. 

She ran until she thought she could not run anymore. She could hear the _elil_ right behind her, and she stopped, her eyes growing white with increasing terror. This was it… 

Then, she suddenly felt her body being hurled to the left. When she dared look, she saw Ghost pushing her towards a hollow trunk, which was conveniently placed just near them. Hop was hanging down his jaws. 

He dropped the tiny kitten gently. "It's a _lendri_," he said in a hushed voice. "We can outrun it. Just follow me." He picked up Hop again before rushing to the other end of the trunk. Willow stumbled after him, her heart racing quickly. 

*** 

Ghost reached the warren by early evening, the weak, frail kitten still alive in his mouth. He dropped her in front of her stunned _marli_. "I thought Burnet…" Corn started. 

He shook his head. "Feed her. She's had nothing but chewed-up grass in her system and it is not good for kittens at this age to be eating just that." 

Corn nodded, grabbing the starving doe-kitten by the neck again as she went underground. Ghost watched as she gradually disappeared in the dark. Giving a deep sigh, he cautiously made his way up the slope to head down to the stream. 

There he sat down, cleaning his muddy paws. The rain had stopped pouring more than five hours ago, so they were quite dry now. He suddenly stopped as he saw Willow hopping nimbly towards him. 

"Thank you," he said, looking away from her and placing his gaze upon the clear stream, the surface illuminated by the moon above. "I had not known the _lendri_ was there until you crashed down the brush. If you hadn't done that I'd be dead by now." He swallowed. He wasn't used to showing his gratefulness, and neither was he used to showing emotion. 

Willow smiled, sitting down beside him and gazing at his reflection in the water. "You saved me during that time with the _pfeffa_," she answered. "A Chief has done so much for his people. Is it not right for his people to do something for him in return?" 

"My people are all I live for," Ghost told her truthfully. "A Chief. That is all I am." 

She peered into his shimmering blue eyes through the water, and realized that it wasn't all he was. He was a rabbit, just as much as any of them were. "No," she said quietly, almost in a whisper. 

"Yes," he replied. "Without my people, I am nothing. I lost them before, and I lost myself….that is why, this is so." 

"Is this why?" Willow asked him gently. He looked back at her. "Is this why you're always so quiet? Because…because you think a Chief is all you are?" 

He nodded, slowly. 

"But that's stupid, is it not? You're a rabbit too." She showed it plainly that she was concerned. Rabbits don't act like this. She blinked. His eyes were cold, the remnants of a tortured past, of a tortured soul. So this what it was all about? 

"Perhaps," he answered. "Perhaps it's stupid…but that's the way it really is." 

She nodded, suddenly understanding everything there was about him. And then, she stood up, her mind made up about something. She'd help him. Perhaps, she could do something for their feverishly stupid Chief, their Chief who had done so much for them, yet had received so little in return. Lowering her head slowly, her eyes suddenly locking into his real ones, not the ones in the water, she hopped in a tiny circle, gracefully, as if in a dance. 

He watched for some time, confused. Why him? He hadn't fought the others for her. He gazed at her and then, just then, his eyes lost the icy glare in them. The wall he had built around himself had collapsed…all his feelings had been exposed. No longer was he a ghost of the past. A rabbit had seen through him…a rabbit had known who he truly was… 

He got up and awkwardly hopped after her, his feet making the same rhythmic dance round the grass, the courtship dance of rabbits, one that their ancestors had done way before them. 

Above, the moon shone brighter than ever. 


	21. Conflicts

**21 – Conflicts **

It was early in the morning and Frith had just risen up to provide daylight to the place once more. Birds were singing early morning songs, squirrels chattered restlessly amongst themselves, bees buzzed, butterflies floated overhead, and the rabbits were just waking up. 

"Sir." 

Ghost stretched, yawned, then stood up his warm but empty burrow as he looked up at Coltsfoot, who had just entered. Rubbing his face with one paw, he asked, quite groggily, "What is it?" 

"You know," Coltsfoot sat down, licking his paws. "I would have just as well spent this day bickering with the others over Willow…" 

There was a slight grunt, and Coltsfoot looked up. Quite confused, he continued, "But anyway, I think we should take this opportunity for a patrol. You know. Go around the whole area and see whether there is anything wrong. Captain Dog's-Tail used to take me to a few of Forest's patrols and I can't see why we can't do that here in Primrose-rah." 

He looked up at him, tilting his head slightly as he waited for his answer. 

Ghost knew that he really wanted to spare himself from a day of hearing Burnet and some rabbit's argument over something particularly trivial, and since he hadn't been a _hlessi_ for some time now, he was eager for a bit of adventure. Finishing his yawning, he nodded. "Yes, I think we could go. Anyone coming with us?" 

"Onion. Burnet wouldn't…you know him. Then Pike wants to spend some time with Parsley." He snorted. "Bark wanted to go as well but I told him no one could possibly protect the warren like he can so he agreed to stay." He grinned at Ghost. "You have to trick him sometimes." 

"Hn. Sooner or later he'll be doing that to you and _then_ what will our Owsla be?" He stepped out the burrow and, half-stretching, walked off with Coltsfoot trudging behind him. A few minutes later, the three bucks went on with their patrol, leaving Bark in charge of the whole place. 

Bark did not perceive any trouble coming on. Posting Pike as a sentry near the edge of the crater, he had _ silflayed_ beside Burnet quietly in a relaxing manner. Everything was so quiet, there was no chance of trouble right now… 

However, there _was_ trouble brewing. Particularly among the does. 

Fern and Willow were halfway across the outside of the crater, the former doe looking very angry indeed. She grunted, saying in a maddened tone, "Why you!" 

"What's wrong with you?" Willow asked her, confused. She stepped away from the older doe, her ears drawn back. 

"You know very well!" Fern growled. She raised her paw to cuff her, but when it came down towards Willow, she had already jumped away. "And I thought you were my friend!" 

"Be reasonable Fern! Fern!" Willow could only make out a bit on why her friend was acting like this, for in a rabbit point of view, it seemed pretty unreasonable. 

"Okay. I'll explain this to you, clearly. You. Reek. Of Ghost's scent." She growled louder. "More so than the normal rabbits. You know very well what that means." 

"But why are you…" 

"GET out of here. Before I tear your ears apart!" Fern advanced towards her threateningly, her hackles raised, exposing her front teeth. 

Willow turned and ran. She knew Fern very well and knew that she would really attack her if she caught up with her. Ears bouncing behind her, she took off into the woods. 

*** 

Ghost, Coltsfoot, and Onion were heading back to the warren by late afternoon, content that nothing of much danger was happening around. As they climbed up the hill, they saw Bark waiting for them. 

Perceiving this as an obvious sign of danger, Ghost quickly told him the moment he came near enough to be heard, "What happened?" 

"Fern," Bark said, snorting hotly. "She drove Willow away. Wouldn't tell us why. We tried to track Willow down but we couldn't find her_. That tharn marli!_ Fern, I mean! I'll tear her ears apart…" He snorted again and stamped his foot in anger and frustration. 

"Okay, that's the last straw, I'm going to teach her a lesson here and now. I'm going to cuff her. Oh, I'll just kill her, for Frith's sake!" Coltsfoot growled. He started to walk down the crater, but Ghost stopped him. 

Looking at the cream-colored buck sharply, the gray buck said, "I'll talk to her. You can't risk making her run away either. Or killing her, for that matter. We have far too few does now to risk losing another one." His voice was still as firm as ever, but there was something in it that Coltsfoot could not put his paw into. 

Coltsfoot groaned. "Okay sir, but it's not like anyone would want her as a mate. I mean…" 

"I know but we can't take the chance." Ghost turned away from him. Placing all four feet against the grass, he skidded down the crater and landed straight at the bottom. 

He shook himself and entered the first entrance he saw. 

He maneuvered his way inside the newly dug run, his pace quick and heavy. He passed by Corn's burrow, where the doe was suckling her young patiently. "Do you know where Fern is?" he asked, pressing himself near the burrow entrance so that Corn could hear him. 

"Yes Chief. I last saw her in Burnet's burrow, tearing at the walls." A chuckle was audible in her voice. Burnet was the easiest rabbit to push around. He'll cuss and curse you, but his bark was worse than his bite. Of course, he could always get revenge, but whether he would actually do it was something they have yet to know. 

Ghost turned a corner and found Burnet's burrow not far from Corn's. Sitting outside the mouth, he called out, loudly enough for any rabbit nearby to hear, "Fern!" 

There was no answer. 

Ghost went inside the burrow and saw the doe crouching down, breathing heavily. Dirt filled the whole burrow and it seemed Corn was right about the 'tearing' part. 

"Why did you drive her away?" he asked. 

"You know." Fern looked him straight in the eye. 

Ghost gritted his teeth. What did he know? He knew nothing…his eyes danced around the dark burrow as he thought about it. What was it? Then, he glanced at Fern and realized she had been lavishing him with attention. He had failed to notice it…not that he would, had he known. He grinded his teeth together in anger, his eyes blazing as he realized the root of this problem. 

He wanted to cuff her badly, but he stopped his paw from moving. "What do you have to say for yourself now?" he said, his voice seething with resentment. 

"I'm not sorry." Fern sulked away, growling under her breath. 

"If I find her dead body you will leave this warren. I mean it." Ghost turned around and left, leaving Fern stunned, ashamed, yet still very mad. She cussed, but her Chief was too far away to hear her and that prevented her from getting into any more trouble. 

Ghost came upon the devastated bucks outside, near one of the trees. When he appeared they stopped talking and, trying their best to look as respectful as possible, greeted him. 

"We'll need a search party. Captain Coltsfoot, you will bring Onion with you. Travel to the sunrise side and try to track her down. If you do not find her by _fu-Inlé_ return. Captain Bark will take Burnet with him, you both will head to the sunset side. Pike, you will need to stay here and protect the remaining does. Did anyone get me?" 

"Yessir!" most of them echoed out. The rabbits hopped off. Even Burnet seemed eager enough to go, although Ghost _ did_ catch one complaint. But he ignored it, for he was already skidding down the hill's slope to go north, where he was hoping he could catch a small whiff of Willow's scent, which might somehow lead him to her. 

By _fu-Inlé _the search parties have returned with nothing. Frustrated, but otherwise alive, the bucks came home to find that Ghost had not yet returned. Although they were still exhausted, Coltsfoot bullied Bark into coming with him as they searched for their Chief. He was found wandering a bit of a distance north, apparently still searching for Willow. It took some effort but they finally managed to bring him back to the warren. 


	22. Fox Trouble

**22 – Fox Trouble **

After a relatively sleepless night, the rabbits were _silflaying_ quietly around the warren grounds, with the exception of Onion, who was on the lookout for the time being. Ghost was colder than he had ever been in his whole life, and he chomped down the grass without even looking at what he was eating. Fern had tried to talk to him, but she failed. In fact, instead of Ghost ignoring her as usual, he looked roughly at her and in an angry tone, said, "Get into your burrow before I decide I want to shred your ears. Now." 

Fern scampered off, hurt. 

Snorting, Ghost turned back to his food, but he found no energy to eat much more. Perceiving this as a sign, he turned to go back up the crater to continue his search for the doe they lost. 

But before he could have done that, Onion came running down towards them. In a high-pitched voice, he cried out, "Rabbits! Rabbits towards us!" 

Ghost looked up and saw several tough-looking rabbits coming down the crater. There were three of them, actually, and one looked utterly familiar, although Ghost could not tell who it actually was. 

He straightened himself as one of the rabbit came forward to him. In a steady voice, the rabbit said, "Are you the Chief of this warren?" 

"Yes," Ghost answered. He lifted his ears to listen to anything more the rabbit has to say. 

The rabbit smiled, tipping his head forward. "And you are Ghost, I dare to ask?" 

Ghost nodded this time, keeping his mouth shut. He was wondering who this rabbit was, why he was here, how he knew about him, and a lot of other stuff. 

The rabbit pushed his nose towards Ghost in the manner that most formal rabbits greet each other, although Ghost, still unused to the action, stepped away cautiously. 

There was a shriek. It was high-pitched, but not so high as to sound from a doe, and certainly of a familiar tone. Expecting his disloyal adviser, Ghost was proven right when he saw the small brown buck head his way towards them. 

"Okay, I want a straight answer. What are you doing here?" Burnet asked quickly, pushing Ghost aside and glaring at the newcomer who had greeted their Chief. Ghost sighed, moving away, but as he never expected respect from Burnet, he said nothing about it. 

Most of the other rabbits, with the exception of the does, who were underground somewhere, had gathered around the three newcomers. 

"Aren't you glad to see your old brother?" the new rabbit told Burnet. This came as a shock to all but the Chief, who was too deep in his thoughts to even be surprised. All he wanted was to find out about this rabbit's intentions. Burnet's brother or not, he was going to defend this warren if it was the last thing he did. 

But it seemed there was no reason to be worried. The new rabbit looked back at him and in an earnest voice, said, "In case you seem not to have been able to guess it, Clover-rah sent me." 

"You're not my brother, you're my half-brother," Burnet started to mumble again as he was apt to do, ignoring his brother's last comment. 

"Hey, Burnet!" Coltsfoot snapped. "Get out of the conversation for a moment, will you?" He shuffled his feet angrily. 

"Fine, fine, _Captain_," Burnet told him sarcastically. 

Bark held Coltsfoot off. "I'll take care of this. You stay here." He went off after Burnet, who scampered away at the moment he realized the amount of cuffing he was bound to get if Bark managed to catch him. 

"Clover?" Ghost stated, getting a bit interested. "Why?" 

"As you know, our warren is full. He sent off _hrair_ rabbits, me included, to search for you and see if you have found a place to stay, and if Burnet was still alive. Apparently, he still _is_, seeing that he's off there causing trouble as usual," he paused for breath. "We tracked you down by scent, and by asking people along the way. And now we're here to ask you if we may join your group, Ghost-rah. By the way, my name is Fiber." 

"You told us _hrair_," Coltsfoot broke in, looking at Fiber suspiciously. He looked straight into the rabbit's eyes with his own, brown ones. "Why are there only three of you?" 

"Good question, Coltsfoot," Fiber told him. 

Coltsfoot's eyes widened slightly. "How did you know it was me?" 

"Obviously, Clover-rah told me," Fiber pointed out. "But I digress. Sir," this he addressed specifically to Ghost. "We lost the other rabbits. Not exactly though. Two _hombil_ got them. They herded them into a den and I suspect a few are still alive…" 

"So we need to save them," Ghost finished for him. 

"I was hoping you would." 

Ghost wanted to search for Willow…badly…but seeing this as an opportunity to strengthen his warren, he knew he had no other choice. Silently praying to Frith to keep her safe, he yelled out aloud, "Captain Bark, Pike, and Burnet! Get over here quickly!" 

Bark was chasing Burnet around a tree, but he left the abused little rabbit upon Ghost's command. He bounced towards his Chief and said, in a firm tone, "What do you need Ghost-rah?" 

Ghost did not answer. He was waiting, and even as Pike came bounding towards them he did not say anything. He scratched his ear impatiently, and after a while, Burnet came crawling to them. 

"What took you so long?" Coltsfoot asked, annoyed. 

"He started it…" Burnet started, looking towards Bark. Then, he shot Coltsfoot a quick glance. "No, _you_ started it!" 

"Shut up," Ghost stood up. Looking at the rabbits, he quickly gave orders. "Onion," and he looked up at the lean rabbit waiting patiently nearby. "You will stay here with these two new rabbits. Fiber, Coltsfoot, Bark, Pike, and Burnet will come with me. Fiber, lead the way to the _hombil_." 

Fiber nodded. After grabbing a leaf to eat, he set off with the group of rabbits behind him. 

"I have a feeling…just a feeling…that I'll be meeting up with old friends," they heard Coltsfoot mutter. 

*** 

"Homba den right ahead," Fiber whispered in a low voice as he pressed himself beneath a bush, hiding his body from view. 

Ghost's face appeared in the leaves beside him. "Let me get this straight Fiber. The _hombil_ herded your friends into the den, am I right?" 

"What makes you think the _hombil_ didn't kill them already?" Coltsfoot poked in. He tilted his head at Fiber. 

But it was Burnet who spoke up. Behind them, the small buck was prancing nervously about, saying, "Why? Obviously…those _hombil_ wanted to keep the meat fresh…you know…eat one today, eat the other tomorrow…" He stopped fidgeting and turned to Fiber, who was looking at him. "Strange thing is how they managed to herd them right into the den. Aren't rabbits supposed to scatter? You have got to be a pretty pathetic leader…" 

"That's enough Burnet," Bark told him. 

Burnet sighed as he sat up and licked his paws, still nervous. 

Ghost withdrew himself from the bush and sat down to think. "We'll need a plan. Get into the den alive. Distract _ hombil_. Get rabbits out. Get away safely." He turned to Burnet. "Burnet?" 

"What?!" Burnet jumped back, surprised. Apparently, the stress in the situation had gotten to him. He saw it was only Ghost and, relieved, he sat down. "What?" he repeated, a bit gently. 

"We'll need a trick," said Ghost, who was staring at the ground. "A trick Elahrairah himself would be proud of." He glanced back up at Burnet. 

"Pity." Coltsfoot told them, sighing. "I'm not very good with tricks." 

Ghost turned to him. "I remember you telling me about the two _hombil_ you kept tricking a while back." 

"You actually _listened_ to that?" he asked, surprised, lopped ears pricking up as best as they can. 

"Not quite…but forget about that. If you weren't very good at tricks, how did you get away from them?" 

"They chase me, I find some possible obstacle for them that would not be a challenge to me. They're very smart though. Can find a way out of everything. Stupid _hombil_." He scratched his neck with a front paw, trying to see where Ghost was getting at. 

Ghost was pondering quietly. After some time, he looked at Burnet and asked, "Tell me. Is it possible to make something where _hombil_ will fall in, but a rabbit can not?" 

"Exactly what do you mean…?" Burnet asked. 

"Hombil can fall. Rabbit cannot." 

It was quite a hard thing to think about, when you come into terms with rabbit logic, and no one can think anything where a _hombil_ can fall in but a rabbit cannot. But Burnet, with his quick thinking, figured it out in a split second. Grinning widely, he called out, "Is there a nearby hole here? Deep?" 

"Saw something like that back over there," Fiber answered. Getting up, he said, "Come on! Follow me." 

They lollopped off. A few hundred yards away, they came upon a hole, a deep one that was about ten rabbits big. It reeked of man, being one dug it and dumped a bunch of garbage in, and it took sometime before any of the rabbits approached it. 

When they did neared the hole, Burnet immediately set about sniffing around it. Then, he peered into it while making sure he does not fall down. Coltsfoot felt the urge to push him, but this was no time for jokes so he resolved to do something similar when the rabbits were all safe and sound. 

Burnet finally finished his inspection. Looking up at Ghost, he said, "Okay, I'll tell you what I have in mind, Ghost. But I'm afraid it's going to be quite hard to do. We'll need to add some stuff here that can hold a rabbit's weight, but _hombil_ will fall through." 

There was silence. Hardly anyone was getting what Burnet just said, and Burnet was quietly muttering to himself, "Morons…" 

Ghost went away from where he was standing and was sniffing a dead branch. He inspected it for a while, pawing it gently. Then, he stood up on it to see if it would break. 

Seeing that it did not, he stepped back and grabbed the end of the branch with his teeth. He pulled it towards the hole. 

Although Coltsfoot did not really understand it, he hurriedly grabbed the other end to help Ghost. 

Ghost dropped the branch, looking at Coltsfoot. "Drag it to the other side. Just do it." He grabbed what he was holding again. 

As to why this was to be done, Coltsfoot still did not understand. He had never been more confused in his life, but he willingly obeyed. Gripping the wood tightly with aching jaws, he dragged the branch to one side of the hole. 

Ghost dragged his side of the branch to another side of the hole, so that the branch lay across each end. When this has been done Burnet grinned widely. "A bit more of that Ghost. But get a thinner branch. Foxes won't fall through if you use heavier ones like that. Coltsfoot, go find one." 

"Who are you giving the orders?" Coltsfoot muttered, but at Ghost's quick glance he hurriedly obeyed as he run off, still mumbling, "And that was supposed to be Captain Coltsfoot to you!" 

But in any case, he returned quickly enough, a smaller branch dragging across the soil from his mouth. Bark grabbed the other end and they set up the new branch like before. 

Seeing how this was done, Pike and Fiber set off while Ghost turned to Burnet for another question. "And how will the foxes not know they can fall through that? Coltsfoot is right about them being smart." 

"Easy. We cover it." 

It didn't make much sense, but Ghost decided to wait until the hole was covered with a few more branches. Without thinking much of the possible consequences, he tested its strength by hopping on top of it. It creaked a bit but stayed put. 

He quickly hopped away. 

"Can two _hombil_ fall through that?" Bark asked, finally getting the idea. 

Ghost nodded. "They can. They're heavy enough." He tilted his head towards Burnet's direction. "So how can we cover this up?" 

As an answer, Burnet turned around and started to kick dirt towards the pile of branches. 

The rabbits all did the same. When they were done, they turned to inspect their work, although only their Chief and Burnet could actually understand its concept. It was a crudely done trap, but when Ghost hopped back up it, he confirmed it would work. 

He brought the rabbits back near the foxes' dens. Sitting down the ground, he told what they were to do to them. 

*** 

Ghost hopped towards to the entrance of the den. Swallowing his fears, he quickly called out, "Homba! Let go of our rabbits!" 

A fox appeared. Like most foxes of its kind it was tawny red, with black paws and a white vest across its chest. It looked at Ghost curiously, then blurted out in hedgerow language, "You! Hey Poplar! Here's rabbit we lost to that badger! E's 'till alive!" 

"You liar," another fox called out. It appeared next to the first fox and stared at Ghost. "Hey, you're not! It the rabbit!" 

"Get it!" 

It was totally unexpected, but Ghost's instincts allowed him to run as fast as he could without being caught first. Turning around revealed the two foxes galloping towards him, tongues lolling out in frenzy. 

"Plan in motion. Don't fail me now," Ghost whispered under his breath in Lapine. 

*** 

"Fiber? Oh Fiber!" 

The rabbits crowded inside the fox's den shrieked out loudly. They literally jumped all over Fiber, who cuffed a few, saying, "Now, now. These rabbits here are a few of Ghost's. This is your Captain of the Owsla, Coltsfoot, and remember Burnet?" 

"Whatever," Burnet muttered. "Now let's get over this quickly before the foxes get back." 

"Pessimistic rabbit," Coltsfoot told him, smacking Burnet's head with a paw. It was a miracle as to how Burnet managed to keep his wits straight even with the constant beating he received. Not that he _wasn't_ already quite cracked… 

"Abuse. It's all I ever get," he muttered some more. 

Fiber ignored them as he went around his companions. "A few are missing. I can count you all. Four. Where are the others?" He anxiously waited for the answer. 

"They ate them," a doe told him. She was shaking nervously. "They…they…" 

"It's going to be okay lass, keep calm Petals," Fiber told her, patting her gently. 

Coltsfoot nodded. "Yep, our Chief will take care of this." 

"_I hope_," Burnet added, rolling his eyes. 

The other rabbits did not mind him. Burnet had always been like this. With Fiber and Coltsfoot leading the way, the half-_tharn_ rabbits hopped from the cave passively, ears laid across their head, and they never dared look back the den where their companions were brutally murdered earlier. It was all over now. They knew, in a sense, that they would be safe. 

*** 

But Ghost, it seemed was not sure. He was running as fast as he could but the foxes, being foxes and a whole deal faster than he was, was starting to overtake him, and it was true that there were no barriers that aided him like the first time he was chased by a fox alone. 

He opened his mouth, panting, the world suddenly seeming blurry to his sight. 

Then all of a sudden he saw the well-covered hole. Just behind him, the foxes were yapping and trying to snap a bite out of his hindquarters, but he would not have it. He leaped up high and landed on the trap. 

In a split second the two foxes landed next to him. 

There was a slight noise. Then, to Ghost's horror, the ground gave way while he was still standing _upon it_. He and the two foxes crashed down the hole full of stinking garbage. 

One of the foxes, though badly hurt, turned to kill him, prepared to get the job done no matter what. But Ghost reacted quickly. He leaped on top of the foxes, risking the danger of being cut in half, and made a leap for the sides of the hole. If he failed, he would certainly fall into the fox's open jaws. 

But surprisingly, he succeeded. Digging his claws into the dirt, he pulled himself up and looked back at the yapping foxes. One was badly hurt, having landed on something sharp and edgy, and appeared to have broken some part of its body. The other, who had landed on top of it, seemed well though. 

That fox tried to reach him but failed. The hole was surprisingly deep, and even jumping on top of its companion proved to be of no use. The rabbit was lucky he got away. The fox, on the other hand, could not make out any escape from the hole. 

It was trapped. 

Perhaps never to get away again. 

And the fox was aware of this. 

"Why must we fight like this?" Ghost asked, his cold blue eyes suddenly warming at the sight of the injured and helpless enemies. 

"Frith meant it be," the fox answered back, its voice ringing with sadness of it and its mate's plight. 

"Are you foxes that followed a cream rabbit few seasons back?" 

"We won't be any longer." 

"He sends his wishes." 

The fox nodded. As Ghost turned away, he heard the fox call, "Please rabbit. We have litter back at den. Please kill them quickly. No long pain." 

"Yes." And during that moment there was an understanding between fox and rabbit, an understanding of the meaning of fate. 

There was a faint yapping, and as Ghost ran back to the den to fulfill the fox's request, his heart was heavy. He asked himself why he should be a trickster and why others should kill him, and he got no answer. 

And he wondered whether Elahrairah would feel this way. 


	23. Families Reunited

**23 – Families Reunited **

When they returned, Ghost told Coltsfoot about the foxes. Coltsfoot sounded a bit upset after hearing this, and had remarked, "Pity. They were good foxes too…" 

For the most part, the seven rabbits settled in well in Primrose-rah. Coltsfoot and Bark, happy with this, had settled into choosing a few rabbits for the Owsla, which, if you can recall, had no one in it but _two_ Captains. In any case they chose Fiber, who had exceedingly started to admire Coltsfoot's guts, and he willingly obeyed him as his captain, much to Burnet's disgust. 

They also took in Agrimony, a fairly able young buck who wasn't as big as either Bark or Coltsfoot, but was well-muscled and strong, not to mention polite and _very_ obedient. "Very much unlike Burnet," Coltsfoot was heard remarking, which earned him less respect from the small buck. Not that it really mattered. 

Then there was Lady's-Mantle, who, despite his worse-than-Fern's flirting habits (considering his name had 'lady's' in it, which, much to his mother's disgust, affected his attitude), was also well enough to be in the Owsla. Worth mentioning is the fact that Lady's-Mantle actually tried to court Fern, which earned him a well-deserved kick and a _ very_ sore jaw for the next couple of weeks. After this Fern's reputation lowered exceedingly. 

Onion was also added to the group, for though he was not very strong, the Captains considered him a 'Burnet without the nuisance,' and thus was very valuable indeed. They also thought that Ghost was crazy to choose Burnet instead of Onion as an official adviser, and Bark glowered in the thought that he had somehow 'outwitted' Ghost, although of course the statement was all in good-humor. Coltsfoot wasn't very pleased though, and had shown it plainly using fifteen swearing words. 

The two Owsla Captains had then considered cutting those rabbits in half between them, so that they each can have their own officers, but as Ghost pointed out, it was _not_ really required, not until they had many rabbits, anyway. So the argument was left to that, but not after quite a bit of tongue-lashing. Burnet, who couldn't help but overhear the argument, had remarked to Ghost, "What were you thinking? Two Owsla Captains, my boot! Not only did it increase the air inside their sorry little heads, but it isn't even necessary!" 

Ghost hadn't answered this, though of course he knew that it wasn't as unnecessary as Burnet thought it was. But Burnet's remarks had earned him cuffs from the two very angry rabbits… 

Days passed. Even with the added rabbits, the search for Willow was in vain. After another day with the rabbits returning empty-handed, Bark asked Ghost why they needed to find Willow even though they had quite a few more does now…Petals, Alder, Vetch, and Columbine. And he asked why Ghost wasn't taking interest in any of them even though he could easily fight off most of the bucks. To this, Ghost had not answered. Rather, he retired to his burrow to rest, leaving Coltsfoot very angry at Bark for upsetting his master. 

And the days turned into weeks, and in that manner, the weeks added up to months. No Willow was found. What was worse was that her body was not seen either…no skeleton, or even a faded scent that said she had stopped here and was taken away. So even then, Fern remained in the warren. 

During this time, Parsley, Pike's doe, had now given birth to a lovely set of youngsters…four of them, three bucks and a doe, and thus joy abounded within the place. The four new does had kindled as well. Petals, whom Onion had taken a liking to and thus became his doe, had a litter of five, but she wasn't cut out to be a mother, and this provoked her into killing four. She managed to hold on and take care of the last one, a buck. 

Both Alder and Vetch had litters sired by Lady's-Mantle, who the rabbits sickeningly hated a bit because of his fighting skills. Not that he could beat the Captains in real battle. But in a doe scuffle he managed to, and the Captains left him to that, seeing that if they pushed the matter into a real fight, anything serious could happen. 

Alder had six kittens…three does and three bucks. Four got sick and stopped running almost as soon as they were born, and sadly enough, these were all of the does and one buck. Vetch had four, and since her burrow was right next to Alder's, half of her kittens got sick as well, leaving two bucks. 

The mortality rate of the kittens, especially the does, were higher than anyone expected or wanted. Now there were only three does, including Corn's older ones, and if the rabbits could count the bucks, they would have known there were eight. They vaguely hoped that the last doe, Columbine, would give birth to does that will, hopefully, survive. 

Pregnant by the time she had gotten to Primrose-rah, just like Corn, her kittens, unfortunately, were not to be. Two weeks later, she reabsorbed them. It seemed that her body was not able to take the long journey from Clover's warren up to here. She mated several weeks later to Bark, who, seemingly desperate for a doe, had clobbered all his rivals until they did not dare challenge him any longer. But those kittens were not to be born until later on. 

But other than the kitten incidents, everything seemed fine. Flay was plentiful, and the new bucks, with a Captain or two, often raided the nearby farm for some _flayrah_ to bring back home. Apparently nobody minded them coming and it was only some time before Bark confirmed that the humans were gone. Even the dogs were not around. He had, in fact, inspected the place more than once and saw that it was abandoned. They literally had the whole area to themselves. 

Also, there were no _elil_ attacks. And although there was the occasional fear that humans would arrive, simply because the place still smelled of them, there were no danger signs. 

All looked happy enough, except Ghost. 

He patrolled his domain alone. Sometimes Coltsfoot, who refused to let him endanger himself, tagged along, but often he went alone since Coltsfoot was easy to sneak away from. Sniffing the ground like a hound dog, talking to every single animal he could see, he continued on his search for that one missing doe. 

This particular day, his determination had changed into desperation. He had strayed far from his warren's staked-out territory. In fact, when he realized how far he had gone, it was already fu-Inlé and so he stayed in a hollow log to pass the night out. 

Frith had not yet risen when he woke up and continued trudging along. If he had known it, he had strayed far beyond Primrose-rah and was in fact far north in between his warren and Mushroom's. 

He wasn't going to die, he knew that. But perhaps he won't come back. Not till he finds something, he told himself quietly. 

He stopped, a paw lifted up, as he caught a familiar scent. It was very old, but it was familiar… 

Then he heard a grunting. Turning around, he saw a big rabbit crash into him and strike him across the shoulder, quickly ripping the flesh apart and sending blood flying everywhere. 

Ghost jumped back, baring his teeth, as he eyed his opponent. Even in the dim, dark light, he could make out the rabbit's appearance. It was brown, as he expected, but several black splotches covered him. 

The rabbit made a strange, wobbly movement towards him, and it took some time for him to realize it was heading towards him again. 

This time, he was ready for the attack. Bracing himself, he lunged at the oncoming rabbit. He managed to grasp the rabbit around the neck and was about to kill him swiftly when he realized this was not his mission. 

He dropped the rabbit, who hopped a few feet away from him. It was only now that he realized the rabbit was holding a hind leg up. It was lame. 

"Who are you?" the rabbit asked under clenched, bared teeth. 

"I am looking for someone. Did you by any chance come upon a doe?" 

"There are many does," the rabbit told him. It started to limp around him, as if inspecting him closely. "Leave my territory before I attack again." 

"Answer me first before I attack myself. Did you see come upon a _hlessi_ doe here some time ago? Two moons ago?" 

"You ask too many questions. You will die." 

"Fine. If you do not wish to answer, then I will find out for myself." Lowering his head, Ghost prepared to attack. It was now early sunrise and he could see his enemy clearly. 

The two rabbits were about to do another bout when a small object hopped towards them. Ghost's opponent abandoned him quickly as he went towards the small thing, which seemed to be a kitten. 

The kitten was small, and it looked like any ordinary rabbit kitten, with long yet thin ears, and a clumsy body. It was dark brown, almost black, and had yellow eyes. 

"Timothy, get back to your _marli_ now," the rabbit said, nudging the kitten with his nose. 

"Are you fighting? Are you?" The kitten asked, tilting its head at the previous rabbit. It then hopped towards Ghost and called out haughtily, "Why you fighting him?" 

Ghost was speechless. It was a kitten, after all. A buck kitten, to be precise, for his nose told him this. And like most animals, he knew a young one when he sees it and generally tries to avoid upsetting them for no reason at all, if that was at _all_ possible. 

So the cold, serious Chief was stepping away from a kitten. 

"Timothy, get back here before he…" the other rabbit started. 

Ghost shot him a look. "The doe, buck. That is all I want to know. Do you know where is she?" 

"You will not know," the other stubbornly answered. 

Although he hardly meant it, he had no choice. He did the same thing to the kitten as he did the badger cub. He placed a heavy paw on top of the kitten's head and said, "Does this kitten mean anything at all to you?" 

The rabbit's reaction was the same as that of the badger. Speechless for a moment. Then, finally, the buck gave a deep sigh and wobbled a step forward. "Don't hurt him. I'll…show you to the doe, if she is the one you are looking for. Now give Timothy back." 

Ghost let him go. The kitten, half-scared out of his wits, scampered back towards the other buck and nuzzled him affectionately. 

For a moment it sickeningly reminded Ghost of badger cubs and dead fox pups, and he wished that he no longer had to do this to children. Not anymore. 

He caught up with the other buck. 

"What is your name then?" the buck asked. His voice was still as gruff as before, but that did not matter to the gray rabbit. 

"Ghost." 

"Strange name," the buck told him, truthfully enough. 

"It's none of your business." 

"My name is Bran," he said. He turned to Ghost sharply. "That, by the way, does not mean I won't fight you." 

"I just wanted to see the doe Bran." 

They arrived near the mouth of a small run, where Bran sat down and started chewing on a piece of grass. The run was situated almost near a river, which, surprisingly, did nothing to moisten the soil like the one back at Ghost's old warren. 

A doe suddenly leaped out of the hole and ran towards the kitten. She nuzzled him, saying in a very familiar voice, "Oh Timothy, don't run away like that again!" 

"Don't worry mother, I won't," Timothy said, but he was making small circles in the ground with his paw and looking down, avoiding eye contact. 

"Willow?" 

Willow shot a glance at him. For a moment she was speechless, and motionless as well, but when she found the nerve to move a muscle, she jumped towards him, burying her head in his mane. 

Bran bared his teeth, but he did not move as Willow said, in a muffled voice, "I missed you." 

Ghost was surprised. It was strange, with Willow acting this way. Rabbits usually do not. But he stood still, calmly, as he told her, "We all did. There were a few additions to the warren." 

"Kittens or adults, sir?" Willow asked, moving away from him and acting meekly now, as she always did, with that certain respect she always held for Ghost. 

"Both," Ghost said. Now he had removed his sight from Willow, which had been quite hard to do considering he had thought she was gone all those weeks, but now he was looking straight at Timothy, the kitten he had just threatened to kill a while ago. 

"Is he…" he started. 

"He's yours. The only one. He had no siblings, sir." Willow answered truthfully. Bran, in the meantime, had taken to sitting while he watched the ongoing drama with half-amused, half-angry eyes. 

Ghost moved towards the wide-eyed Timothy. Then, he placed his muzzle on top of the kitten's head and for the first time in his life, whispered, "I'm sorry." 

"For what?" the kitten asked, confused. 

Rabbits have little to no paternal instincts. Most are generally proud of their sons, boasting about them, training them in the way they were supposed to be trained, and some do get along with them as well as they do adult rabbits. Ghost's next action was totally unexpected. He picked Timothy up, the same way a mother does to her kittens. 

"The warren is waiting for you," Ghost said at Willow's direction. 

Bran overcame his surprise at this instant. Bracing himself, he growled, "You are not going to bring them with you." 

Then he slammed straight into Ghost, sending him in the direction of the river. His plan was simple enough. He was to send Ghost into the water, take Timothy in his own grip, and thus get rid of him. 

But it wasn't as easy as he thought it was, for Ghost managed to maintain his grips on the dry ground. Unfortunately his mouth loosened from his grip onto Timothy and it was he who flew and landed in the water. 

Screaming and spluttering, the tiny kitten yelled, "Help!!!!" 

He disappeared. Quick as that. Ghost could have cuffed Bran senseless. And he wanted to, really. But he did not, for he had already leaped into the water himself, hoping against hope that Timothy survive the ordeal. 

To his surprise, he found Bran swimming beside him. Ignoring the rabbit, he swam the current, trying to find the little rabbit kitten that he earlier had found out to be his own son. 

*** 

They later emerged from the river, soaking wet and coughing helplessly. They have not found Timothy, but neither wanted to give up in trying. Now they were seeking shelter under a tree as they thought the matter over. 

Finally, Bran spoke up. "I didn't really mean to push you into the river. I just didn't…want you to take them home…" 

Ghost was angry with him, but he didn't show it now. _Forgive and forget._ He remembered that, although it wasn't Primrose-rah who said it. It was more like Captain Dog's-Tail, with his mild, cheerful, and happy-go-lucky attitude so much unlike other rabbits from the Owsla. "You could have joined us," was what he said. 

"I know that. But…" Bran gave a deep sigh. "I can't join just any warren." 

"So you mean to say my warren isn't good enough?" he asked, his pride getting the better of him. 

"No, I'm not saying that!" Bran snapped. "I'm really not supposed to tell why to strange rabbits. But I just…can't." He looked at Ghost's blue eyes. 

Giving another sigh, Bran added, "Damn you…you…why are you after Willow? If you have a warren why don't you get another doe?" He gave a snort, his nostrils flaring. 

Ghost considered his question, which in many ways was similar to that of Bark's some time ago. "I…" Speechless, he his muzzle with both paws. "I can't do that." 

"What do you mean, that can't be? You on an arranged pairing or something?" Bran was sarcastic. 

"No." 

"Then?" Bran stamped on his good hind leg. "There are many does out there for Frith's sake! And you can have kittens! Kittens as many as the stars! Frith in a pond, this is just one kitten and one doe! Who ever heard of a rabbit pining for _that_?" 

"For one thing, the next Chief should be my first living son. It's my family's tradition." 

"So you don't deserve your title…yeah…" Bran replied. 

"What was that?" 

"Nothing. So you only want the kitten for tradition's sake?" Bran flexed his muscles. If this argument takes too long he was going to kill Ghost then and there and continue asking questions later. 

Ghost grunted. "Not just the kitten. Willow." 

"Willow's not part of your tradition." 

"I know." 

"You can always take…another doe." 

"I can't." 

"Why? Damn it, WHY?" Bran raised his paw, ready to cuff the gray rabbit. 

"She's…" Ghost's voice trailed off from here on. _She's what? _He sighed. _She's what? She's just like any other doe. They're all right, I can always get another doe…but damn, I don't want another doe. Willow's…_

There was a squeak, just above them. The two bucks, who were not used to looking upwards, did look up. Timothy was standing on a branch. _As if we haven't seen weird things already… _Bran thought. Aloud, he asked, "How did you get up there Timothy?" 

In a frightened, high-pitched voice, Timothy answered back, "Washed ashore…cat grabbed me…brought me up here…wanted to kill me away from other cat…but they heard…a…a…strange sound and left…" 

"Are you hurt?" Bran called out. 

"Not really…cut here and there. I'm exhausted though!!!! Bran, help me! Please? Bran!" He shivered, his tiny ears shaking along with his own body. 

"He can't get down," Ghost told Bran as he sniffed the tree and placed his paws on the trunk, removing all thoughts from his mind. "You have to get up and get him." 

"How?" 

"Jump on me and try to get to the nearest branch," Ghost told him. 

Bran nodded, understanding the concept of his idea. Ghost braced himself as Bran jumped on him, heavy body and all. The weight was soon gone as Bran jumped on a branch in a half-scramble. 

It was not long before Bran found Timothy. 

"How do I get him down?" Bran called back down to Ghost. 

"Carry him!" 

"What did you say?" 

"Hold him!" 

It was absurd, really. Ghost had done it quickly before, but Bran took second thoughts before he even placed his jaws around Timothy's neck. Trying his best to be gentle, he leaped back down Ghost's back and jumped down the ground, the little kitten dangling from his mouth. 

"Take him home," Bran told the hurt Ghost, panting and out of breath. Ghost's selfless act of making him jump on him in order to save the kitten had gotten into him. Maybe…just maybe…they would be safe, with Ghost. They wouldn't be with him… 

Turning his head away, so that he could not look at either the gray rabbit or the kitten, he repeated, "Take him home. With his mother. Quick. Before I change my mind." 

Picking the stupefied Timothy up, Ghost lollopped back towards Willow for Primrose-rah. Timothy, who half-understood what was happening around here, turned back to Bran and called, "Never forget me, huh, Bran? Please?" 

"Never little one," Bran said, quietly, still not looking at him. "Never." 


	24. Home Again

**24 – Home Again **

Stumbling upon the hill that was Primrose-rah, Ghost was nudging the exhausted Timothy as gently as he could. Timothy could not bear another step, but he managed to before sitting down, his tongue out as he panted. 

Ghost grabbed him again by the neck. Personally, his jaw had hurt more than it ever had, after carrying the heavy kitten for some time already, with Willow taking his place every now and then. 

Coltsfoot, who was on the lookout for the day, saw the three rabbits coming towards him. He squinted a bit before he realized it was Ghost and Willow. 

He scrambled towards both, lifting his head up in his way of honoring Ghost. "We've been worried sick about you Chief," Coltsfoot said. He looked at Willow, a surprised look in his face. "Willow, you're alive? We've been looking all over for you doe! But it's nice you're now back!" Then he peered over at Timothy, dangling down Ghost's mouth. "And who's this?" 

Ghost, still uneasy at introducing the little buck kitten, walked ahead a few steps before gently dropping Timothy down and saying, "Your future Chief." He waited to see what his reaction would be. 

"My what? What? WHAT?" Coltsfoot asked, his reaction making Ghost smile a bit, although it was barely noticeable. 

Turning his attention away from his faithful captain, he nudged Timothy and said, "Slide down. It's fun." 

His words produced more surprised stares from the lop-eared rabbit and Willow, who had never heard him talk to a kitten before. It was ridiculous, to see their Chief like this. 

"It's uh…" Coltsfoot was not sure what he was exactly saying, what with his perplexity and all. But he managed to regain control over himself. Hopping next to Timothy, he bounded down the edge of the crater and allowed himself to roll around the sloping ground. 

Timothy, as any normal child was apt to do, saw this as a game. He followed Coltsfoot's lead happily, while Ghost and Willow climbed down in a more dignified manner. 

There were a bunch of kittens playing around. Corn's two kittens, Violet and Hop, were the elder ones, at two months old. The rest were near one to one and a half months, which was roughly around Timothy's own age. 

Upon seeing them, Timothy's ears perked up. He had no brother or sisters so he was unused to seeing other kittens, but he this did not mean he shunned them, unlike his father. Like most rabbits, he was gregarious by nature. He approached them gingerly, his lean body gleaming. Then he stopped, clumsily stood on his hind legs, and said, "Hewwo…" 

"You a new kit?" a buck kitten his own age asked. This was one of Vetch's kittens, Lettuce. He touched noses with Timothy. "Howya doin'?" 

"Wanna play, squirt?" Lettuce's brother, Cabbage, asked. He hopped a few inches away from Timothy and grinned, his whiskers twitching. 

Compared to the two healthy kittens, Timothy was scruffy, and he looked more like a runt then anything else. But a lifelong reputation among them was immediately established when he stood up face to face with Cabbage despite the obvious size difference and boldly said, "Wanna scuffle?" 

As a result, Cabbage and Timothy were found biting and kicking at each other. At this moment an alarm rang over the heads of panicked does, who quickly ran to separate the two. 

But this was not to be, as Timothy had kicked Cabbage off him. The bigger kitten now lay down on his side, the whites of his eyes showing, as Timothy stepped up towards him and said in a way that he could only have copied off Bran, "Call me squirt again and you'll see." 

"Yes," Cabbage said, meekly. When Timothy released him, he bounded away, Lettuce following him from behind. 

In the meantime, most of the adult bucks and a few of the does who weren't looking at their children were now touching noses with Ghost, apparently making a big deal out of his disappearance the past day. After they had been reassured that he was not injured in any way and was still capable of Chief, being that if he was _not_, someone was sure to try to steal the position and they wouldn't like that, they set off, leaving Ghost, Willow, Coltsfoot, Bark, and a couple of the Owsla rabbits behind. 

"Bring Fern here would you?" Ghost turned to Fiber. He was ready to resolve the past troubles they had with this doe. 

Fiber nodded and hopped off, leaving Ghost to hold Willow back. "Don't leave," said he, in his usual calm and serious tone. 

Willow nodded, her ears folded neatly against her head. "Yes sir. Very well sir. But sir…isn't she still mad at me?" 

Pressing his nose against her cheek, Ghost said, "That is what we'll see." 

Bark sat down beside Ghost and licked his paw. He started to say something, possibly about Willow, but he abandoned the idea when he saw Coltsfoot eyeing him suspiciously. So instead he grinned at his fellow Captain. 

_I know what's in your mind. Don't dare speak out._ Coltsfoot's expression clearly said. 

Bark widened his eyes innocently. 

Fiber arrived with the young doe following him. He waited to be dismissed and when he was, by Captain Bark, he went to his place a few feet from Coltsfoot and stood up. 

Fern had been an outcast during the past few weeks. Hardly anyone talked to her. The impact that her deed had done, in chasing Willow away, was great upon the rabbits, even those who had never known Willow before. So now her proud look was replaced by a quiet, meek gaze. 

She was surprised as she saw Willow, but she did not say anything. Instead, without making eye contact with any of the rabbits, she said, "What is it you want, sir?" The last word was said faintly. She cringed, fearing some terrible punishment upon her, and looked down the ground some more. 

"Willow has been found. Alive. You may stay here in this warren as long as you wish, but take note that if you ever do anything like this again, you will be banished. Treat this as your second chance." Ghost told her, his eyes getting colder every second. "Now go back to your burrow." 

Fern turned around. Her ears still held back, she hopped away in that lonely state she will be in for a long time yet. 

But no one noticed that. No one took heed of the state of depression she was in, for they were concerned with other matters they considered more important. 

For example, they all had rushed to Timothy to keep him in his place, for he was bullying one of Alder's sons, Naiad, a rabbit kitten bigger than he was, and Alder wasn't very pleased. In fact, she was holding up a paw to cuff Timothy. 

Luckily for the young kitten, Ghost grabbed him just in time. He did not scold Alder, as the doe was only doing what she thought best to do. Instead he climbed down a run with Willow following him. 

"Sir, it's feeding time for him already…I think we're going to our burrow now." Willow called to him, meekly. 

Ghost dropped Timothy gently, who remarked, "Geezers, they carry more than I can take. Any longer and I'll be a waterlogged rabbit. I really will be." 

"Columbine already occupies your burrow," Ghost told her, trying his best to keep his stern voice gentle. He failed, he knew that, but Willow did not some to be affected by it. He stared at her for a couple of seconds, shook himself, and continued, "You may stay in mine." 

"But sir…" 

"Waterlogged rabbit, here I come," Timothy whined. He was picked up again, for about the sixty-fifth time during the whole day alone, was carried several meters off, and then dropped onto a spacious but snug burrow. 

"Go get some rest," Ghost said, motioning to Willow. "I'll be off now." 

"But sir, isn't this strange…" 

"How many times have you told me but?" 

And Willow could not help but notice that this was the first time she heard humor in his voice, and saw a soft, silent twinkle in his usually stern, blue eyes.


	25. Father and Son

**25 – Father and Son **

Ghost was sunning himself far from the other rabbits, alone as usual, watching as they silflayed and romped around the grass. It was a particularly sunny day, and the huge crater that was almost the same in diameter as any big field was full of butterflies and flowers. _Wonderful place, _ Ghost thought to himself. _It's a wonder why no rabbit occupied it before. Sure it smells of man. But there's no man around, is there? _

His thoughts were shattered at the violent, if not disturbing, sounds from something. Lifting his ears, so that he could locate the source of them, he could make out the very picture he was expecting to see…Burnet running from some rabbit he probably annoyed, or made some stupid remark to. But he knew that wasn't the shriek he heard.

Turning his head, he could faintly make out several small shapes clustered around, smaller than ordinary rabbits. Recognizing these as the kittens, and one of them as Timothy, he stood up, alarmed, as he saw bigger rabbits approach them.

"He started it! Frith in a dunghill, you stupid…!!!!" Nettle cried. Nettle was Naiad's brother, from Alder's litter, and he was just as big as Timothy, who was now standing next to him, looking no less ashamed than if he had not done anything at all. He was holding a paw up as he spoke, which was injured. "Timothy did it! He darn did it!"

Alder was nuzzling him, trying to stop him from saying anything more to the little prince. It was at this moment that Ghost arrived, stepping upon the grass heavily so that it flattened for some time before regaining its lightly lifted shape.

"What happened here?" Ghost asked, quickly taking note of who the rabbits around were. There were, as mentioned, Alder, Nettle, and Timothy. Cabbage, Naiad, Lettuce, and Parsley and Pike's doe kitten, Vervain, were also nearby, looking as innocent as little pansies growing under the sun, though of course the elder rabbits knew better. Speaking of the elder rabbits, Pike, Vetch, and Trefoil, a buck from Fiber's own merry little band that had joined Primrose-rah a few moons back, were around.

After taking note of these, which might prove useful later in case one decides to slip away, Ghost turned to Nettle himself and repeated his previous question. "What happened here?"

Ghost was not intimidating, at least to the youngsters. But his presence commanded respect and in this manner, Nettle quickly answered out loud, "It was…Timothy, sir Chief sir…he tackled me without me knowing and I tumbled down and broke my foot so I attacked him and he attacked me and we…" He stopped, seemingly for breath, but his statement had concluded by that point. He looked up at Ghost.

Hoping to hear from the culprit's side of the story, he turned to Timothy, who was looking down the ground and appeared to be watching the ants move about. "Timothy?"

"What?" he asked, without looking up.

"I want to talk with you."

"Why?" He still did not look up. The ants were more interesting now than he thought they were…

"Timothy," Ghost said, patiently and clearly.

When Timothy did not look up or answer, he said in a firmer tone, "Before I cuff you."

Afraid of any cuffing, Timothy abandoned the ants and fearfully followed the gray rabbit, who he still hasn't recognized as his father. Not that it mattered. After all, to rabbits, a father just any rabbit, and to Timothy, Ghost was just that. Another rabbit. Perhaps also the rabbit whose burrow he sleeps in. And the rabbit they want him to call his father.

But unfortunately, he did not stop to think that 'that' rabbit was also his Chief, and needed respect from him, son or not. And lacking this respect, he got himself into trouble often.

Just like now.

He was looking down the ground again, muttering something that Ghost believed he didn't hear. The stream flowed freely beside them, for his father had brought him down the outside of the crater, so that they could speak privately.

"Why did you do it?" Ghost asked, looking straight at him. This was very unlike the usual way he talked to rabbits. Usually he would look elsewhere.

Timothy looked back and flattened his ears. "I didn't want to hurt him! Honest! But I…" His voice trailed off as he found no plausible excuse to what he just did. Nettle's story had been right through and through.

"You wanted to hurt something, huh? Timothy. If you have not noticed yet, you are my son."

"That's what they say."

Holding his temper back, Ghost ignored the statement. "Who am I?"

"The Chief."

"Who are you?"

"Your son, you just told me that!"

"Do I have any other?"

"I dunno."

"Answer me straight."

"No, they told me no…" Timothy rolled his eyes. "But than, how can I be so sure?"

"Do you even know that you will be the next Chief of this place?"

Timothy looked up. "Nope."

"So, you don't," Ghost flicked his ear as a fly landed on it. "Now that you do, let me tell you these. You must respect all the kittens in this place. No unnecessary fighting."

"But I wanted too…"

"You can't always have what you want."

"Can't I just be a normal kitten?" Timothy lifted both his hind legs and placed them over his ears as he looked at Ghost.

Ghost looked at the cute little rabbit, but his heart did not melt. Instead he said, "As I told you. You cannot always have what you want."

"Can't you have another son then? PLEEEEAAAASEEEE?" Timothy asked again, still trying to defy his father's wishes.

Ghost shook his head. "You are the first."

"Oh, so I suppose I wasn't given a choice?" The little kitten snorted as he placed his hind paws firmly down the ground and mock-stamped.

"Neither was I."

"So what if I was lame, blind, and deaf, I'd _still_ be a Chief?" he pressed the issue further.

"No."

"See? See?"

"You will be killed."

"…" Surprised, the rabbit kitten stared down at the stream. A small fish surfaced and looked at him, mouth bobbing up and down, before going on its way. Scratching at the soppy, wet ground, he muttered, "I want Bran."

"He…"

"Why is he not here?"

"He didn't want to go." Ghost sighed, knowing this was harder than he ever expected.

"I want to see him."

"Lad you…"

"I want to see him!" Hysterical, the little rabbit bounded away. Ghost did not bother to catch him. Let the little one go. He'll talk to him later that day.

But surprisingly, that was not to be. Hours later he came upon Willow, who was walking around the warren, as if looking for something. Walking towards her, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Timothy sir," Willow looked up at him. "He's…missing…"

"He's not anywhere around the warren?" Ghost asked, panic rising through his blood.

"No sir…I even asked the kittens…they said they haven't seen him since this morning." She stifled a groan of frustration as she sat down, clueless as to what to do next.

Ghost touched her on the nose with his, which was surprising as he was not used to this behavior. "We'll search for him. Don't worry, he'll turn up somehow. This place is not as chockfull of _elil_ as others." It was obviously an optimistic view. Clearly, what he really was thinking was, "Don't worry, we'll search for him, but don't put your hopes up too high. There's _elil_ around you know." But he kept these thoughts to himself as he hopped away, leaving Willow stunned by his actions, and anxious at Timothy's.

***

His paws were padding across the rough grass of the woods were he was searching, his body lower to the ground than when he walks normally. Ghost stopped, his nose wiggling. Then he lightly cursed as something pricked his skin. He lifted his hind leg and started scratching two burs out of it while he looked around.

A rabbit stepped behind him and he turned, placing his hind leg firmly on the ground. It was Agrimony and the young buck was panting, as if he had just run some time ago.

"Sir, no news yet. Captain Coltsfoot sent me after you because he saw you go off alone." He twitched as he waited for Ghost's answer.

The rabbit shook his head as he pawed at an ear, trying to remove another bur that got stuck on his thick fur. "No, I can take care of myself. Blasted burs…"

"But Chief! You'd be in danger."

Ghost looked at him and said gruffly, "Get moving Agrimony."

"Yessir," said the rabbit, tipping his head forward.

"Quick."

Agrimony hopped off.

Ghost knew better than to bring the officer along. If he had, he knew that they both would be more subject to danger than if he went alone. It was one of his many unmentionable responsibilities as a Chief. Besides, he usually disliked company, and this was one of those days that he would appreciate mere silence around him.

He watched as the rabbit disappeared. When he was certain that Agrimony had gone far, he went through a bush, almost got stuck there, and continued on his search.

***

A field mouse scampered in front of him. He was not very much surprised, as it was just a mouse and everyone sees mice every now and then. The little creature, not seeing him as a threat, was chewing on a piece of grain near a rock silently. He was about to ignore it and go on his way when a strange but very reasonable idea came to his head.

It was not like a rabbit to talk to other creatures. Although most learn hedgerow talk even at an early age, they aren't very friendly with others not of their own kind. However, he ventured forward, stopping a few feet in front of the mouse.

The mouse noticed him. Since it knew this was a rabbit, it looked up expectantly, even with the rabbit's obvious size difference to him.

"You see a rabbit pass by?" Ghost asked in hedgerow talk, looking at the mouse straight in the eyes.

The mouse was surprised. Being a particularly jumpy creature, it dropped the grain to scamper off, but Ghost's voice held it. "I ask. You answer."

The mouse, shivering up to its ears, walked to him. "I a see a you."

It was enough to make the Chief roll his eyes. "Other rabbit. Small one. Very small."

"Small a one…?"

It seemed that he was not talking to the very brightest of all creatures. Very slowly, so that even a turtle could have understood, he said, "Little rabbit. See him?"

"Little a rabbit?" The mouse wiggled its whiskers. "I a see a no…"

"What?"

"What?"

Ghost impatiently thumped his hind leg, which sent the mouse scampering off to some hidden burrow. It did not return, but another mouse appeared. It licked itself before saying, "I hear what you ask her."

It washed its face with both paws before continuing. "I hear. I see little rabbit. Sunset side. Go. But not sure if it alive. There _homba_ here."

_Homba? _Without thanking the mouse, Ghost scampered off, his mind drowned in thoughts. _No one has seen or smelt any homba around here during the wide patrols. Must have settled in just today. The Owsla has to take care of this… _

His thoughts were shattered as he smelt the fox, the stinking, nauseating smell of a fox. He actually had to close his nostrils in order to avoid himself from abandoning his ground.

There was a squeak. He quickened his pace and stopped under a bush as he saw a fox standing there, one paw raised up. Its jaws were opened, revealing white, sharp teeth that could break a rabbit's back with one snap.

When Ghost stepped nearer, he saw Timothy huddled against a rock, trying desperately to get away, hardly noticing that he was stuck between it and the snarling _elil_. He was far too afraid. _Tharn_. A state of paralysis within rabbits, in which all thoughts are driven out, leaving them utterly helpless and white-eyed. It was dangerous, and Ghost knew that very well.

Knew it well enough to leap towards the fox without a second thought, leaving his life, position, and warren vulnerable. It was an act an older, wiser Chief rabbit would never have done. But he was young, and to him, saving his heir…his _son_… was more important than keeping himself safe.

The fox was taken aback. Never in its life had it seen a rabbit…_a rabbit, of all creatures…_attack him straight on. It shocked it so much it stood still, frozen, and this gave the gray rabbit an edge in his attack.

Ghost grabbed the fox by the neck, and in a fit that he did not know he had, shook it fiercely, driving his teeth into it. The hide was tough, very much unlike that of a rabbit's, and it was some time before he pierced through it and managed to reach the flesh inside.

The fox managed to extract him using its paw. The pain in his teeth drove Ghost mad, and the fox's shoving made it too painful to hold on. He dropped down and stared at the fox.

Stared.

The fox was still recovering from its shock. It found itself staring at Ghost. It had stared into rabbits' eyes many times before, and knew a _tharn_ look when it saw one. But this was no _tharn_ look. No…

It stepped back. Ghost's blue eyes were mad. Very mad. It had never seen a rabbit…look at it this way before.

Was it possible for a rabbit to kill it?

It stepped back again. No. It wasn't possible…

But…

It felt a tiny drop of blood slid down its throat. It stepped back, again, its tail slowly going under its hind legs.

It wasn't…possible…

Defeated by a rabbit? _Killed_ by a rabbit?

Never!

Ghost stepped forward, his ears twitching with anger, his teeth bared to their fullest.

The fox could not it any more. It turned tail and ran, knowing all too well that it will never return again, not even in this area. Defeated by a rabbit.

An irony the food chain itself wouldn't have known.

Ghost started to breath in and out rapidly in a panting motion as he watched the fox's red form disappear, and only then that he realized what he had just done. He…attacked…a fox. An _elil_. And sent it running for its life…

He would have been proud, but he was not. Primrose's training did not include rash decisions. And he knew how rashly he had acted.

He had attacked a fox, by Frith!

"F…"

He snapped back into his state of mind as he hopped towards Timothy, who was now recovering. He nuzzled the kitten's head, taking note that he did not have any wounds, except for a couple of scratches from the bushes.

"F…" Timothy swallowed. "F…father? You attacked…a…fox…"

Ghost licked the kitten's head, pleased that he had finally called him 'father'. That was probably worth a rash attempt. "Let's go home." He placed his muzzle over Timothy's neck, preparing to clamp down on it and carry him.

"Can…I ride…on your back?" Timothy asked. He looked at Ghost.

Ghost dropped down on his chest. "Yes."

Timothy, still shaking, clambered on top of the gray back and buried his face under the thick mane. He breathed in deep. "Father?"

"Yes?" Ghost asked as he started to hop as gently as possible so as not to shake the kitten off him.

"You're not so bad after all."

And for the first time ever, Ghost managed to crack a smile.


	26. Burnet's Plight

**26 – Burnet's Plight **

"No, no, no," Ghost said, patiently, holding one paw up as he said this. "You're not supposed to latch on forever. Who ever told you that?"

"Bran did," Timothy said, scratching his ear clumsily. He scratched too far and toppled over to his side, rolling around the grass good-naturedly.

Ghost watched the little kitten roll about. Then, giving a deep sigh, he said, "Timothy, take this seriously."

"Must I really get all this training?" he asked, lying down on his back. He pawed at a leaf dangling down from a branch.

His father hopped towards him and peered down at him. "What have I told you before?"

"That I don't have a choice, I know," Timothy answered, stretching both of his paws. He opened his mouth, emitting a long yawn. "But I just don't want to…I'm bored…"

Ghost shook his head. "Come now. Tell me what you do when you bite an enemy."

Timothy sighed. "Okay. First, I bite them, okay? Then, I…uh…it depends…I pierce through the skin…"

"Yes?"

"And if I didn't get a good bite, like…uh…like if it was uh…" He scratched his throat with a paw. "If the enemy doesn't seem to get hurt…I quickly release…"

"But usually, what do you do?"

"I tear the skin off…as deep as I can…" He scratched his neck again.

"And where is the best place to attack an enemy?"

"Throat for quick killing…yes, throat."

"Timothy, you won't practice this on the other kittens." Ghost said firmly as the thought came into his mind. With Timothy acting like this it was possible for him to attack the kittens using the techniques he was teaching him. "If you do…"

"Huh?"

"Punishments would be harsh."

"You mean like I'm not allowed too go…like…" He thought for a moment. "Silf…?"

"Not likely."

"Then what's it s'posed be?"

"Sent away."

"Sorta like…what's that word? 'Ciled?"

"Exiled." Or killed. But he didn't say that. For Frith's sake, he's scared the kitten more times than he wanted to. He didn't want to be branded the 'murderous rabbit' when the kitten grows up. Think how much teasing he'd get from Burnet then.

Timothy bounced up and grabbed Ghost's foreleg, hugging it with his front paws as he nuzzled it affectionately. "No…I don't wanna be 'ciled! I wanna stay here!"

Okay, so perhaps he scared the kitten with the 'exiled' thing already…

Ghost placed a paw on top of Timothy's back, stroking it gently. "You won't be exiled unless you do as I say." Was that how Primrose could have handled it? Ghost had no idea. He, as a kitten, had generally been too obedient to be upset.

Coltsfoot's broad head appeared. He hopped down the sloping hill towards Ghost and Timothy, who had been near the stream, which Ghost found to be a wonderful spot since it was far from the usual squabbles in the warren. He grinned, as he always did, and said, "I need to talk to master for a second here, Timothy-rah. Can I borrow him for a while?"

"Go on lad, play on. And remember what I taught you." Ghost told the kitten.

Timothy nodded and bounced away playfully.

When he was out of sight Coltsfoot looked at Ghost. "Well, I always thought you never had any emotions like this, sir. Guess I was wrong. First Willow-rah, and then Timothy-rah."

Ghost looked at him, surprised. "Willow…rah?"

"Well yeah. He's your doe." Coltsfoot grinned at him again. "Hey, I'm not disrespectful like Burnet y'know. What do you expect? Treat her like dirt? Oh! Speaking of Burnet, that's what I came here to talk about to you."

"About what?"

"Bark…ahem! _Captain_ Bark…I mean, remember that he sent out for another patrol of the surrounding area?"

"And?"

Coltsfoot stroked on of his lopped ears before answering, "He brought along Fiber, Naiad, and Burnet."

"Naiad…_Burnet?_" Ghost did not know what to be surprised at. The kitten coming along, or the cowardly rabbit who wouldn't say "Boo!" to a butterfly if his life depended on it, coming along.

Coltsfoot licked his lips. "Bark brought Naiad along because he fancied the young kit to be trained for the Owsla…pretty much because of that. He also dragged…_literally_…Burnet into coming with him, just to 'toughen him up', he said. Well, toughened him up alright. They're back now without Burnet. Said the rabbit hurt his leg after jumping down a bank and he had to stay there."

Ghost stood up. "Is anybody going after him?"

Coltsfoot shook his head. "Nope, nothing we can do. Bark said he's hurt pretty bad so he can't be dragged here, and he can't walk. Why, you going there, sir? Master?"

"Yes," Ghost answered. He shook himself.

Coltsfoot sniffed the air. "I don't think that's a wise decision, sir. See, the thing is, I smell moist air."

"Rain." Ghost raised his nose, smelling what Coltsfoot had just smelled.  
"Never had that since we came here. You and Bark go get the rabbits underground. I think this one's going to be quite harsh."

"But what about you sir?" Coltsfoot asked.

"Don't worry. I can handle myself. Go now!"

Coltsfoot hopped away. A bit later he turned his head and asked, "Is he worth it? After all, it _is_ Burnet."

"I am the Chief. I can't abandon anyone." He hopped away, and quietly whispered, "At least, not again."

***

Burnet shivered as he felt tiny drops of water fall down his face. Darn, it was raining, and he was sure to get soaked. He leaned against the fallen, rotten log beside him. At least he was in the woods. If he'd gotten injured around the fields he'd sure be colder than he actually is now.

He bent his head over to take a look at his hind leg. He cringed as he saw it. When he jumped down the bank, the particular leg had crashed straight into a pointy rock and slashed its way across his flesh. He had managed to drag himself near this log for shelter, but now he knew he could not possibly drag himself any further. The leg had stopped bleeding and was now swollen. He could barely feel it.

He tried to lick at it, but he was weak from all the pain and could not reach it. Groaning, he laid his head down on his front feet and closed his eyes as the pitter-patter of the rain became louder.

Hours later, he opened his eyes. It was still raining and he was soaked to the bone, but it seemed that he was too weak to care. He lifted his head weakly, eyes half-closed, as he surveyed his surroundings. Then, he saw a rabbit hopping towards him.

When the rabbit got nearer, he saw it was Ghost. He gave a weak smile the moment the rabbit approached him and said, "Hullo Ghost."

"You okay?" Ghost asked, bending over to sniff the waterlogged rabbit.

"…still alive," Burnet muttered. He winced as pain shot from his leg and into his brain. "Hurts…badly…hurts…" he mumbled, closing his eyes.

Ghost hopped nearer to the leg as he inspected it. It seemed bad, and he lowered his leg as he started to lick it, for it was dirty and if he didn't do something soon it was sure to get infected.

The sky crackled and Ghost bounced away. When he realized it was only thunder, he hopped back to Burnet and resumed licking at the wound.

It was some time before the blood started to flow out of it. Licking his lips, he shook himself as he laid beside Burnet, pressing the smaller buck against the log. It was cold and he shivered slightly. "You still alive?" he asked, unsure.

He saw Burnet's head nod slightly. Glad to see this, he lowered his head down and went to sleep.

***

When he shot open his eyes, the first thing that was on Ghost's mind was whether Burnet was still alive or not. Hopping away, he peered at the small buck. He eyes were closed, but his sides were moving as he breathed in and out, so he was still alive. Ghost grabbed a bite of grass to eat before hopping back to where Burnet was and licked his leg again. The swelling had lessened, that was for sure, but that didn't meant the buck was any safer.

After some time, he felt Burnet twitch. The buck woke up.

"Eat. Helps regain your strength," Ghost told him.

Burnet quietly inched towards the nearest grass he could find and started munching on it. He was shivering, and Ghost leaned on him to conserve the rabbit's warmth. It was only dripping now, with most of the rain gone, but the air was still cold and if this went on any longer they might freeze to their deaths.

There was a silent hoot. Ghost stood up, alarmed, as he saw two yellow eyes shine brightly near the treetops. An owl. Some can't really hurt rabbits that much, but some can, and would, if given the opportunity. His instincts urged him to run for cover, but one look at the shivering Burnet made him fight against all of that. He might stand a chance against the bird. Burnet most likely would not, being small and all. He laid down again, grunting as he looked at the owl.

The owl it seems had noticed him. It flapped its wings and suddenly glided towards them, as if seeking to attack. Ghost braced himself, gritting his teeth as the owl swooped towards them, sharp talons extended.

It narrowly missed them. Ghost looked at where it had perched and cried, "Leave, damn you! Before I decide I want to attack!" He bristled.

The owl hooted, but it did not say anything, at least nothing that Ghost could understand.

"You can't get us! We're too big for you! Damn it, leave us and get yourself some _hraka_-sodden mice!" He bared his teeth as he slashed the grass angrily with one paw, sending dirt flying across the ground.

This was no joke, the owl thought. Hooting loudly, it left.

***

Ghost remained sleepless for the rest of the night. The owl had reminded him of _elil_, and he chose not to sleep for fear of one attacking while he does that. He licked his paw as he scanned the area for any movements. There was nothing, nothing but the wind. He sighed.

"Are you…the black rabbit?"

Ghost turned around to see Burnet, half-delirious. He shook his head. "It's me. Ghost."

"…good," Burnet told him. He fell asleep again.

His Chief inspected his wound. It was not as bad as it was earlier, and he began to lick it again. His body was tense, but he wasn't as frightened as most rabbits would be when in these situations. He had slept out in the open many times when he was a _hlessi_ and he was used to these kind of dangers…

But his worries were directed to Burnet. Annoying as the rabbit might seem, he was _still _a rabbit, and sometimes a useful one as well. He had learned ever since the incident from Hop that individual rabbits often mattered a lot. And as a Chief, it was his responsibility to watch after them.

Because being a Chief…that was all he was.

And he wasn't about to fail on the one sore thing in the world he could do right.

He gently shook Burnet. "Are you still here?"

"'Think so," Burnet said groggily. Ghost could see that he was shaking. It was still cold, after all. If he falls asleep again like this…

"Would you like to hear a story?" he asked.

Burnet was half-amazed, but he was too weak to make a joke out of it. "Sure."


	27. The Story of Elahrairah and the Fox

**27 – The Story of Elahrairah and the Fox **

Ghost took a deep breath. He wasn't much of a storyteller, and neither was he a story-listener, mainly because he never had the time or the energy to listen to one. Of course, since rabbits loved stories, he couldn't help but overhearing quite a few back when he was a kitten, like that one of Elahrairah and the Blessing. But that wasn't the story that was in his mind. Rather, he remembered another story, one Captain Dog's-Tail himself had told one night to some members of the Owsla.

"Elahrairah, as we all know, was a great trickster which gave him both a good and bad reputation," Ghost said as he thought out the words. He paused for a moment, and upon seeing Burnet's eager face, knew he had to go on. "This bad reputation was mostly within the _elil_, particularly the _ hombil_."

"It had started out when Elahrairah had sent that _homba_ and his mate away from their warren area simply by looking at him straight in the eye, using the power the snake had given him."

"Wonder whether a snake gave you the power to sent the owl away?" Burnet asked.

Ghost stopped and looked at him, a bit glad that the rabbit's normal attitude was coming back. Stories do have their wonders, don't they? So he went on. "In any case, most of the _hombil_ stayed away from them that day on, although they can often be heard cussing Elahrairah and all his kin often. Tricked by a rabbit, confound it!" The last words were from Dog's-Tail, and when he thought about it for a second, he wondered what was worse…being tricked by a rabbit or being defeated by one.

"There was, however, one _homba_ who wasn't too pleased with them avoiding Elahrairah like the plague. He was a young prince, a black-colored _homba_ with a lot of fire in him, and he boasted to everyone that he could defeat Elahrairah and get away with it."

"After he had boasted far and wide, someone asked him whether he would _actually_ defeat Elahrairah."

"'Of course I can!' he boasted, sending the _homba_ shivering in fear. 'I'll show you!' He left their home early that day, and pretty soon he reached Elahrairah's warren. Here, he made an earth, where he settled in. He caught a rabbit every now and then to satisfy his hunger, although he knew that none of them could have been the Prince Rabbit himself."

"Elahrairah was not very pleased. He had lost the snake's power and knew he couldn't do the same to the _homba_. He left once more, trying to think up a good trick to send away this one the same way he had the other one."

"He ventured out, trying to think of a way to solve his problems...again. It was then that he reached the fox's home, although he did not know it then. He came upon a squirrel. The squirrel saw the worried look in his eyes. Approaching him, it asked, 'What is the matter?'"

"'A black fox had settled near our warren and I don't know how to get rid of it,' Elahrairah told it truthfully."

"'I can't say I can help you, but I happen think that that one is the Prince of the _hombil_. He is the only black one around here, they say, so he is probably that one you saw. Last I heard of him, he said he was going to kill that rabbit Elahrairah." With that, the squirrel left Elahrairah, with which a plan had already sparked in his mind."

Ghost took a deep breath. "Elahrairah returned back to the warren. He found himself a deep well, and after making sure of its location, he approached the fox."

"Now, the _homba_ was very much surprised upon seeing Elahrairah. He grinned widely as he told himself that he was not going to be tricked by this rabbit. He approached Elahrairah."

"But it was the rabbit who spoke first. Elahrairah said, 'My lord, I have found the most devastating thing!'"

"The _homba_ was now very surprised. 'What is it, Elahrairah?' he asked."

"'My prince, there is another fox in this place who claims that he is the Prince. He had heard of you coming here and wishes to defeat you.'"

"Now the _homba_ was naturally suspicious. He eyed Elahrairah and asked him, 'How did you know I was Prince?'"

"'Why, a great Prince like you surely would be known far and wide,' Elahrairah told him. 'But that other _homba_…'e says he's the Prince. I told him that _you_ were, only he said that _he_ was. He said, 'Great Golden Frith, I AM the Prince! I'll show that miserable little pup who's the Prince! YOU! Go get him for me!' And he threatened to eat me up if I don't so here I am.'"

"The _homba_ was convinced, and was very mad as well, for being called a 'little pup'." Ghost scratched his ear. "So he followed Elahrairah, who led him towards the well."

"'Where is he?' the fox asked."

"'There is his den lord,' Elahrairah said, pointing to the well."

"The _homba_ peered into the well and sure enough, he saw another fox down the bottom. He bared his teeth, and the _homba_ bared his. Angry, the fox leaped into the well. There was a big splashing."

"And that was the last they saw of the Prince of the _ Hombil_. Elahrairah returned back to his warren, where he was greeted by Rabscuttle warmly."

Ghost took a deep breath. It was the longest thing he had ever said since the time he learned how to talk, and he was exhausted. He took a bite out of a blade of grass. Burnet, it seemed, had gained a bit more energy after the story, which was good, and Ghost felt that his talking was worth it.

It was not very long before they saw something move towards them. They tensely waited, and after a while, much to their relief, Coltsfoot, Bark, Lady's-Mantle, and Fiber appeared.

"Can you walk?" Bark asked Burnet.

The rabbit stood up and shook his leg. It was fine now, although it still stung a bit, but he felt that he could make it as far as the warren. He nodded, saying, "Yes."

It took them a long time to reach Primrose-rah, but they did reach it, all of them, and they were glad Burnet made it. When the others had hopped off, leaving Burnet and Ghost alone in a corner, Burnet turned to him and said, "You saved my life. I shan't forget that."


	28. Hlessil and Trouble

**28 – Hlessil and Trouble **

"What the heck is wrong with that rabbit?" Coltsfoot asked. It had been two weeks since the accident with Burnet, and things have been a little more peaceful than he expected. For example, just a while ago, Burnet had bumped into Bark. The Captain immediately sent out a scolding, which, much to his surprise, Burnet took without a single argument. Sure, he wailed, and whined, like he was apt to do, but that was all. He didn't push the issue further. And now the amazed buck was talking the situation out with his fellow Captain.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him argue with any of us within the last two weeks," Bark recalled. He wiggled his nose. "Must be his accident. Must have trimmed him down."

"He's still making jokes though. Heard him say one just the other day." Coltsfoot yawned. "Well, so much for a chaotic life. Want to raid a garden?"

"Ought to be nice. Anyway, we're out of _flayrah_ and Columbine's nagging me to get her some." He grinned. "Must be the kittens." Columbine had recently given birth to six kittens, half does and half bucks, and all survived, which was quite good news for Primrose-rah's well-being.

"You spoil her don't you?" Coltsfoot told him, nibbling on his paw after a flea had bit it.

"We have so few does every one of them is a treasure," Bark answered back.

"Well, at least you have a doe. I can't steal any from you no matter what I do!" It was mostly meant as a joke.

"Don't worry," Bark said, grinning widely. "You can have one of my daughters."

"That's a relief," Coltsfoot told him sarcastically.

The two hopped off to corner some unsuspecting rabbit and nag it into going with them. They found Agrimony, however, much to their disappointment. The buck was always obeying them. They could have told him to go into a fox's den and he would have done it without second thoughts. Pity. And they did want some challenge…

_Frithrah, we must be missing Burnet! _ Coltsfoot thought. And he shuddered.

But their _flayrah_-raiding was to be postponed, for Fiber suddenly came upon them, panting. "Hlessil sirs!" he said, standing up straight.

"Hlessil?" Coltsfoot asked, surprised. "Where they from Clover?"

"No, no, not from him," Fiber said, shaking his head. "They said they've left their home warren. It was a long way off, they told us. They wish to join us."

"Take us to them," Bark replied.

Fiber nodded. He led them, including Agrimony, down the slope and near the outskirt of the nearby woods. There, they came upon the _hlessil_, and it was time for first-time impressions.

Coltsfoot was the first to approach them. There were three of them, a doe and two bucks. One of the bucks was a thin-looking six-month-old, average-sized. He looked utterly exhausted, and Coltsfoot could tell that he might have been having a thin time in their home warren. The other buck was heftier, very big, in fact, with scars all across him and a sharp look in his eyes, and ragged, tattered ears. Bark, who was watching them nearby, immediately liked the rabbit's looks. He might be well suited for the Owsla.

The doe was big as well. In fact, Coltsfoot had to sniff again in order to confirm that she _was _a doe, for she looked far from one. Heavily scarred and with a reserved look in her face, she hopped towards him and touched noses with him. "Are you the Chief of this warren?"

"I am the Captain of the Owsla," Coltsfoot said.

Bark interrupted. "That would be _one_ of the Captains."

Coltsfoot shot him an angry look. "I will bring you to the Rah, provided you do not cause any trouble along the way. Understand?"

"Yes."

They found Ghost sitting beside Burnet, chewing quietly on the grass. Timothy was curled up next to him, sleeping peacefully.

Upon the arrival of the rabbits, he looked up, surprised. Flicking his ears, he sat up. "What is this?" he asked, lowering his head to take a good look at the newcomers.

"Hlessil, sir, wishing to join the warren," Coltsfoot told him.

The doe stepped forward, seeking to touch the Chief's nose. Ghost's hostility towards this action prevented her from doing so, and after a couple of seconds of amazement, she found her voice as she said, "My name is Zen, and we are a group of _hlessil_ seeking to join your warren."

"I know that," Ghost said, coldly.

"So, would you let us join?" she asked.

Ghost looked over at Burnet, who sat up, scratching his neck with his healed leg. "What's your story?" Burnet asked them, after realizing that Ghost wanted him to take over the situation.

From behind, Bark silently whispered to Coltsfoot, "Told you something's wrong with him. He would have said, 'WHAT???' but no, he did a sensible thing…"

Ghost shot him a look, which made him shut his mouth.

Zen smiled as she settled down on her haunches, whiskers quivering as she spoke. "We came from a warren far from here. We were having a thin time and…"

"HALT!" Coltsfoot hopped towards her suspiciously. "_Having a thin time?_ You and that other buck there look healthier and bigger than half of our own Owsla…no offence, lads…how could _you_ be having a thin time? Frithrah!"

He sat down, snorting heavily.

"Let me finish. You are right, we were not having as bad a life as other rabbits. We were Owsla officers…"

This statement thereby making Coltsfoot a bit angrier. "Officers having a thin time? Frith in the edge of a river…I've never heard such a thing!"

"I've never heard of a doe as an officer, either," Bark stated.

"Let her finish," Ghost said, getting a bit impatient.

"Thank you. Now, as I was saying," the doe continued. "Our warren is one of the largest around. _Hrair_ rabbits. Which means, more Owsla officers to keep the peace. I was one of them, and although I got my authority and a burrow I share with two other does, food was not very plentiful, and we were always treated like dirt. I gathered up a few rabbits and asked them to join me into leaving the warren, and they agreed, so we left to search for another place where we can be appreciated. We came upon a warren ruled under a rabbit called 'Clover', but we were not accepted as they were full. Instead, he told us that earlier, a few of his rabbits left to create another warren. He told us the direction they left to, and so we followed it. It was not easy."

She paused for a moment to gather her breath. "We had a hard time finding any information about a group of rabbits, and we lost many of our companions to _elil_. However, just this morning, the remaining three of us came upon your friend here and here we are."

"So now you wish to join our warren," Ghost concluded for her.

"Yes."

Ghost looked at Burnet. "What do you think?"

"Sure, let 'em join," Burnet said, nibbling on the grass., hardly caring about anything at all. "I can't see why not."

"Thank you, sir," Zen said, bowing her head. "May I go as far as to ask whether you'll let me join your Owsla?"

"I leave that to my Captains to decide," Ghost told her. "They are Captain of the Owsla for nothing. You may go." He continued chomping on the grass, which clearly meant that the conversation was finished.

Zen hopped alongside Coltsfoot. "So, how about that officer-thing?"

Coltsfoot stopped. "I'm still…"

"You can't!" Bark barked. He shoved Coltsfoot out of the way and stood in front of Zen. "Sure, we don't have any Owsla tests yet, but I know a good rabbit when I see one and I say you're not. You're a doe. How can a doe be in the Owsla?" He stamped the ground.

Zen glared at him. "I see you're one of those bucks, eh? Who think that does can't handle things they can?" She held out her claws and raked it across the air in front of Bark.

"No arguments around here," Coltsfoot growled. "Unlike Bark, I have heard of does in the Owsla before, although I can't safely say whether they're any good at all or not. Forest never had any either, you see. Zen, you will have to prove yourself if you want to join our Owsla. Do you agree with me, Captain Bark?"

Bark nodded his head. "Yes, that would be good, but I doubt whether she can."

"And what 'bout me?" The bigger buck that was with Zen spoke up. "I hope to join the Owsla too!" His voice was gruff.

Bark turned to him. "What's your name lad?"

"Poppy."

"Want to let him in?" Bark asked Coltsfoot.

Coltsfoot shrugged. "He's good-sized. Let him in."

"Hear that?" he told Poppy. "Welcome to the Owsla."

"Hey…why did he get in so easily?" Zen asked, jumping towards Bark angrily.

Bark shook his head at her. "You're a doe. He's…a buck. It's different."

Fuming, Zen hopped away with the other buck tagging along behind her. She disappeared into the nearest hole.

"So, officers got any privileges 'ere?" Poppy asked. His voice was still gruff, which surprised the two Captains. After being accepted in the Owsla _that_ easily, he _shouldn't_ be gruff!

"No, we don't," Coltsfoot said, glaring at Poppy.

"It's not like we need them anyway, there's relatively few of us here," Bark added. "But they should respect you though."

"And how 'bout does?"

"Oh, you can have any doe you can get."

***

"So, 'dat our Chief's name, eh?" Poppy scratched his head with a hind leg, looking over at Lady's-Mantle. "Ghost? Strange name. Bah! 'E don't look so tough. How did 'e b'come yer Chief again?"

"He's already the Chief when we came here," Lady's-Mantle told him. "I haven't seen him fight before but I don't know how you can say that he doesn't look tough. Look at that scar."

"Ya' don't know nothin', laddie! Me's seen lotsa tough rabbits in me' life and 'e ain't look nothin' like one. Why, e's 'alf my size!" Poppy stamped to emphasize his statement.

Lady's-Mantle grinned. "Not exactly half your size, dear Poppy, but certainly smaller than you."

"I tell ya laddie, I can beat 'dat rabbit w'thout usin' 'alf me strengt' and I'd have 'nuff to kill a 'hole warrenfull rabbits still!"

Lady's-Mantle got up and walked away. "Wouldn't want to try that if I were you," he said, hopping off and leaving Poppy siflaying alone.

"E' ain't believin' me, ain't the laddie? I'll show 'im. Well…what've we have 'ere?"

He stood up, his nose quivering as a doe hopped past him. All his life he had not seen a better-looking doe. The doe was lean and sleek, with a shining, healthy pelt. He hopped towards her and greeted with, "'Ey der'! How ya' doin'?"

Willow stopped and looked at the strange buck. She had been _silflaying_ with Corn and Hop near the foot of the hill when the hlessil had arrived, so she was genuinely surprised. "Who are you?" she asked, politely.

"Me's a new rabbit 'round 'ere. Owsla officer, n'fact," he said with some sort of pride. "Name's Poppy. You?"

"Willow," she answered.

"Is nice name. Yep." He smirked. "Got a mate?"

Being the humble rabbit that she was, she was unsure, so she hopped away from him.

Poppy stepped forward. "Eh? Wassa matter? Jez' answer me' question, lass!"

He suddenly felt something bang on to him. When he turned around, he saw that it was a rabbit…a gray rabbit, to be precise.

He raised his paw and aimed a heavy cuff to the rabbit's head. He slammed the rabbit down the ground as he grit his teeth and said, "Wast' s'posed to be for?"

The rabbit lifted his head, teeth bared. Poppy could not believe that the rabbit had managed to do that. He had made sure that the cuff would knock the rabbit unconscious!

The gray rabbit flew towards him again, like a missile. He clutched tightly on Poppy's throat and pulled back. He narrowly missed the jugular vein, but that did not matter as he attacked again, managing to cuff Poppy twice across the cheek and kick him across the chest.

Poppy's wounds bled freely. He looked up and saw who the rabbit was. It was their Chief. _T'is der Chief, eh? Me'll show 'em me can beat 'im any time! _Fuming, he leaped for Ghost.

He was knocked down again. The cream-furred Captain of the Owsla was now pinning him down the ground, teeth bared ferociously. "How dare you! How dare you attack the Chief!" he growled. He cuffed Poppy soundly on the head. "Damn you! I'm going to kill you right now!"

"Stop it Coltsfoot!" Ghost yelled, a bit groggy from the cuffing he had gotten. Somehow, the rabbit was stronger than he expected, and he was now suffering from the consequences of his recklessness. He sat down in pain, head reeling. "Just…give him another chance. If he fights any of us again…that's…when you kill him…get him away from here…" He crouched down and closed his eyes.

"You should be lucky we have a nice Chief," Coltsfoot whispered to him angrily. "I would be more than glad to kill you. Remember that!" He pushed Poppy away.

Willow hopped nearer to Ghost and gently licked him on the head. "Why did you attack him?" she asked.

"Bucks. You know how we are," Ghost answered in a matter-of-fact tone. But even then, it made Willow's heart melt. So Ghost was still a buck, even with his colder-than-ice nature. Perhaps there was still hope for him.

"But wasn't that a bit too much for a simple scuffle?" she asked.

Ghost, oblivious of his emotions, licked her gently on the cheek.


	29. Hutch Rabbits

**29 – Hutch Rabbits **

Coltsfoot moved about the field restlessly, stopping here and there to pass _hraka_ and sniff the air for any signs of danger. Fiber was with him. The two were patrolling the area for anything that might prove harmful for the warren, but they were, in fact, expecting nothing. Things were relatively quiet around here and it was a rare occasion that they find anything that remotely resembles trouble.

"Hey sir, what do you think that is?" Fiber suddenly spoke up, rubbing his muscle with his paws.

Coltsfoot hopped nearer to him. "What?"

"That thing. Over there. It wasn't here yesterday." He stood up on his hind legs to gain a better view. Coltsfoot copied him.

That 'thing' looked like a large, white, furry object of indescribable shape, at least, from somewhere this far. "It looks like a dead animal," stated the Captain. He dropped down on his fore paws. "Let's see to it. Come on, Fiber."

The two rabbits hopped nearer the white thing. When they approached it, they saw that it looked like a rabbit. In fact, upon further inspection, it _was_ a rabbit.

Coltsfoot pressed his nose against the white rabbit's stomach. The rabbit twitched, and he said, "Still alive."

"URGH! That thing reeks of human scent!" Fiber exclaimed. He hopped a bit of distance away, wrinkling his nose. "Coltsfoot, I suggest we kill that thing here and now!"

"Just because of the myth that they bring disaster to your warren?" Coltsfoot asked. He inspected the rabbit a bit more before sitting down in front of it. "Besides, it's a doe, and we're almost out of does."

"It's from man-stock, no doubt," Fiber pointed out. "Why would you want something like that?"

Coltsfoot lifted his head and glared at him. "Don't you know?"

"Know what?" Fiber was confused.

"I'm from man-stock too, idiot!"

"You…you are…sir?" Now he was more confused. Coltsfoot…from _man-stock_? Captain Coltsfoot himself? Then, when he thought about it, it explains the strange ears. And the strange coloring. But he still could not believe it.

Coltsfoot sneered. "I wasn't born with man, but my mother was kindling when she stumbled upon Forest. I came from that kindling."

"But sir this is…" Fiber stuttered. "But this is…" He groaned. "But sir…but…but…" Finally, he stopped, scratching his head, as he gave up and looked at Coltsfoot, waiting for his Captain to say anything in particular that will bring him out of this mess.

Sneering once more, Coltsfoot hopped back to the unconscious doe and nuzzled her head. The doe winced, and Coltsfoot nuzzled her once more.

She opened her eyes, and the moment she set them upon Coltsfoot, leaped up, scared to death. "Who…WHO…are YOU…?" she asked, eyes turning white with fear.

"Calm down," Coltsfoot told her. At this she crouched down, which made Coltsfoot smile immediately. "My name is Coltsfoot, I am one of the Captains in our Owsla. And this here is one of our officers, Fiber."

"Are…you wild…rabbits?" she asked.

"Yes, we are," Coltsfoot answered warmly. "And you are from man?"

"I escaped…they forgot…to close the hutch's lock…dogs chased me…I traveled far…far…far…to escape…" She whimpered.

"What's your name then?" he asked, hopping closer to her in sympathy.

"Moss," she answered. "You're not going to hurt me?"

"No. We'll bring you to our warren." He hopped a bit closer and nudged her. "Supposing you can walk?"

She nodded. She stood up and slowly hopped behind Coltsfoot and Fiber as they headed off for Primrose-rah.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Fiber whispered to Coltsfoot. "I think that Ghost will particularly be upset by this."

"We'll see about that," Coltsfoot told him angrily. "And who said I wanted to hear your ideas anyway?" he added hotly.

Fiber cowered. "I'm sorry. But I still don't…"

"Just shut up."

"Okay," pathetically.

"I mean it too."

"Yes."

"I really, really mean it!"

"Yes sir!"

"Good."

It took them half a day to get back to the warren, whereas normally, it would have taken them no more than five hours. It was mostly because Moss got exhausted quickly, and they had to continuously stop to feed and rest because of that. Fiber still didn't think that the doe would be of any use, but he kept this opinion to himself for fear of making Coltsfoot angry again, which wasn't a very good thing.

By _fu-Inlé _they arrived in the warren. It was a very angry Poppy that they first encountered.

"Where were ye' goin' already?" he asked. "Patrol 'dat long! Dat's stupid!"

Coltsfoot grabbed him by the neck with his jaws and cuffed him repeatedly. "Don't. Dare. Do that." He pushed the heavy buck away. "Understand?"

Poppy snorted, making Coltsfoot grow angrier. He stepped towards him, but Bark appeared, yawning.

"So, you're back," he said, tilting his head to see the fallen Poppy and the still-bristling Coltsfoot. "Ha! Unless that rabbit learns respect he won't get ours." Walking towards Coltsfoot, he caught sight of the white doe. "And what's this you have with you? Good Frith, the smell!"

"Doe. Found her along the way," Coltsfoot told him, scratching his head.

"It's a hutch rabbit! Why bring her here?" he asked, walking away from them. "Good Frith, look at her eyes! They're red! Coltsfoot, that's a cursed creature you have here! You have to kill it!" Bark growled.

"Our Chief has blue eyes and no one cares," his fellow Captain answered.

"But he doesn't reek of man! Frith in a _hrududu_, I'm out of here!" He dove for the nearest hole, leaving Fiber thinking, _I told you so. _

Coltsfoot growled. Patting Moss gently on the shoulder, he said, "Don't worry about that, I'll take care of you."

They brought her to Ghost's burrow, where Ghost was sleeping. The moment the rabbits reached the run connecting to it, he jerked himself up. Yawning, he asked, "So you're back."

"Yes master. We have found a doe along the way." Coltsfoot pointed to Moss with his nose. "Her name is Moss."

Ghost sniffed the shivering doe. "She's a hutch rabbit," he said, sitting down and scratching his ear.

"Yes sir." Coltsfoot told him.

Ghost nodded. "She'll need to start smelling and acting like a wild rabbit right away, though. One of you, take care of her until that happens, which might be some time yet."

"Yes, I'll take care of that, sir," Coltsfoot said, happy that it took this easy for Ghost to convince. "By the way, sir," he remembered. "What do I tell the others if they ask me about this?"

"Tell them it's for the warren's good," Ghost said. He turned around and crouched down to go back to sleep.

"What does he mean by that?" Fiber asked, when they were out of earshot.

Coltsfoot nodded. "Either because we're short of does, or," He beamed proudly. "Because hutch rabbits make good rabbits."


	30. Forest's Owsla

**30 – Forest's Owsla **

The _hlessi_ stopped, rising on his hind legs to gain a better view of the surrounding area. He was a well-muscled buck, hefty and strong, of the usual brown color. Except, a white blaze covered his face, which completely softened his appearance. Scars all over him and his one ragged and lopped ear gave him the impression of a good fighter.

But now, he was in on hurry to impress anyone with his appearances. He was exhausted, to say the least, and he longed for a nice, warm burrow to sleep in, even just for the night. Wiping his white muzzle with a paw, he hopped over to a nearby mouse, who happened to be watching him intently, and asked, "There warren nearby?"

The mouse nodded, feeling no threat in his statement. "Rabbits nearby, near big hill, smell like man." It cleaned its pink face quickly.

The _hlessi_ was curious. Sitting down squarely on his haunches, he lifted a paw as he asked, "Rabbits smell like man? They man rabbits?"

"No, no," the mouse answered, patiently. It looked up at the rabbit looming over it and said, "Hill smell like man. Rabbits, no, wild rabbits." It sat, motionless, as it waited to see whether the buck would get what he was saying, or whether it had to explain it all over again.

Fortunately, the rabbit got it. He tipped his head forward. "Thanks for help," he said, before hopping away to find this so-called man-smelling warren.

"Anytime," the mouse called to him. It watched the rabbit disappear from the distance before going back to its own business.

***

"Naiad? Naiad! If you stop smelling every single _embleer_ thing we passed by we'd be done with the patrol by now!"

The young, dark-colored buck was particularly impatient today. Why shouldn't he? First, Lettuce had eaten all the lettuce leaves that the Owsla brought in the other day, and that was all the _flayrah_ they had left! Then, Nettle had the _nerve_ to come and insult Hop, which he liked, and when he was about to beat the daylights out of him, out came Ulézenhyze, Petals and Onion's son, and he had to forget his plans. Ulézenhyze was a very sensitive rabbit and no one was allowed to show any violence at all in front of him, or he'd go into fits, choking and spluttering all over the place and making every unprepared rabbit bolt for their lives.

And now Naiad was getting on his nerves…on their first patrol alone, too.

He stamped. He stamped, mainly for the fun of it, and partly to remove his frustrations.

"Yes sir?" Naiad asked, thinking it was some sort of warning signal. He licked a paw while he waited. When he got no answer, he repeated, "Timothy, sir? What is the matter?"

The young buck, now three months old, glared at him. "If you have been paying attention, you would know that _nothing's the matter_!"

"Jeesh, what's wrong with you lately? You're usually not like this," Naiad blurted out. He scratched his neck.

Timothy screamed. "It's all you, your brother, and your _ half-brother_'s fault! And Ulézenhyze's, too! Yeah, you heard me! When dew shines, my boot! What kind of a freaking name is that? It sounds like a doe's name, for crying out loud!" His patience had exceeded its limit.

Naiad stepped back. Even though he was physically bigger than Timothy, he had grown to respect him ever since he beat him and the other kittens more times than he could count. He wiped one of his ears as he said, "Sir, calm down."

"I refuse to calm down!" Timothy roared. Something fell from atop and he flew at it in rage, tearing it apart with his claws and teeth.

"Uh, sir," Naiad interrupted.

"What now?" Timothy growled.

"It's just a branch." He gulped.

Timothy dropped the branch. His muzzle was now bleeding after the splinters had pricked him, and it wasn't a very pretty sight. In fact, it was so far from a pretty sight that Naiad was sure he was going into a fit soon. Very soon. He was now counting, in fact.

_Hrair…four…three…two…one… _ Naiad stopped. "Hey, sir, look at that!"

Timothy spun around while licking his muzzle. He saw a _ hlessi_, moving towards them. His anger slowly waning away as more important matters came to mind, he hopped towards the rabbit.

He was surprised that the rabbit did not look surprised. The older buck looked at him, squinted, shook his head, and asked, "Is there a warren nearby?"

Timothy nodded as he drew closer to the rabbit and touched noses with him, in the normal greeting formality that his father had never mastered. "Yes, there is, as a matter of fact. What gives?" he asked.

Chuckling slightly at the young rabbit's politeness, he said, "I am a _hlessi_, as you can see, seeking help for a warren of mine." He nodded. "Yes."

"I am sure we would most be glad to have you stay with us," Timothy told him. "However, I cannot see how we can help your warren. We are a relatively small community, but my father will be able to help you." He smiled warmly.

The _hlessi_ nodded. "Yes, that would suit me fine."

"Then follow me. And Naiad!" Timothy was still mad. "Stop sniffing, I say! Stop! Embleer Frith!"

***

"Captain Bark, we have a _hlessi_ here in need of help for his warren," Timothy called out to the surprised Captain.

Bark smiled and nodded. "Welcome to Primrose-rah, _hlessi_."

The _hlessi_ stopped still, eyes straight into Bark's, shock surging into his veins. It took him some time before he managed to splutter out, "Primrose…-rah?"

Bark looked at him in wonder. "It's the name of our warren," he said. "Come on, I'll show you to the Chief."

The _hlessi_ was more shocked when they reached the Chief. Ghost was on _silflay_ near the stream, Coltsfoot, Moss, and Willow by his side. The moment he laid eyes upon him, he managed to mutter out squeaks that meant almost nothing at all, which made the rabbits look at him with confusion.

"Y…" he started. He shook himself, closed his eyes, and opened them again. "Y…"

"What is the matter, _hlessi_? Are you mad?" Bark asked, drawing a bit further from him. He growled.

"What's wrong here?" Ghost scowled, sitting up. He looked confused.

It was Coltsfoot who set things on the right track. Hopping nearer to the _hlessi_, he asked, "Captain Dog's-Tail?"

Silence.

Utter silence filled the air, making some of the rabbits fidget with nervousness. Ghost himself was surprised, for he thought Dog's-Tail long dead. How could this _hlessi_ be him now?

But as he inspected the face a bit further, he realized that it _was _Dog's-Tail. Minus all the scars, and the now-ragged ear, he was Dog's-Tail alright.

"The Captain of Forest's Owsla," Coltsfoot muttered. He suddenly chuckled. "I thought they killed you, sir!"

"Sir? Now you're calling a _hlessi_ sir? Oh, stupid rabbits," Bark muttered, feeling a bit left out with their conversation. He hopped away with a couple of the Owsla rabbits that was with him, leaving them all alone.

"You're…Coltsfoot, aren't you?" Dog's-Tail asked, grinning widely.

Coltsfoot nodded. "Yes I am, in the flesh!" He looked over at Ghost. "Master, Captain Dog's-Tail is alive!"

"Nightshade-rah," Dog's-Tail muttered as his attention drifted towards Ghost. "I never thought…I'd see you again."

"Nightshade?" Timothy asked, genuinely as confused as everybody else. "Father, what is the meaning of this?"

Ghost ignored him. Rather, he said, "No, not Nightshade. I am Ghost, now." He looked at Dog's-Tail's yellow eyes. "Tell me. The whole story. Of why it was so, and what happened to yourself."

Upon this, Willow stood up. She felt like she did not belong here, but Ghost stopped her. "Stay," he said, looking at her earnestly. "You too, Moss."

Moss nodded, meekly. Coltsfoot smiled at her as he crouched down beside her, grooming one of his paws.

This done, Ghost looked back at Dog's-Tail. "Continue."

Dog's-Tail smiled. "Yes."

"It had started out, long before I was even born. As we know, Primrose was the only rabbit in his litter. According to the Forest's long tradition that goes back many generations before us, every Chief and heir's first litter will be exterminated, save for one buck that will inherit the position. However, there was a problem."

"Primrose's father, Bearberry-rah, had several does, and he had _two_ first litters, both born at the same time. Normally, the one that was born first would have been the one that contained the heir, but they were both born at the same time. After Bearberry-rah had ordered the kittens to be destroyed on one doe," Dog's-Tail licked his lips before continuing. "He immediately found out that his Captain of the Owsla had destroyed all except one on the other."

"Confused, like everyone else, Bearberry it seemed had decided to raise both and make the better one the Chief. Now, this was a mistake. The tradition of killing all the litter except one is done to prevent any rivalry."

"Primrose-rah was chosen, of course. Upon Bearberry's death, Primrose-rah took upon the position as Chief rabbit of Forest. Cherry, his half-brother, had disappeared after that, but not after he had sworn to bring Forest to its downfall."

"We didn't hear of him until I myself was Captain of the Owsla, exactly before the attack happened." Dog's-Tail crouched down after his legs started getting tired, and gave a deep breath. "Actually, we didn't know it was Cherry then. Our neighboring warren had been increasing its interests on us, but the spies we sent were unable to confirm anything. Out of nowhere, their rabbits increased, until I finally told Primrose my concerns about them attacking."

"I heard that," Ghost told him. "I ignored it until they actually attacked."

"Primrose-rah was going blind by then. He was old, we all know that. He told me to just watch out for them, but he told me that he did not think they will attack. That was the last I heard of him. When he went out with…Ghost…here…" He still found it strange to call Nightshade a different name. "That was when the attack started."

He looked down the ground, half-shivering. The memories of the onslaught were still fresh in his memories, even though it had happened a year ago. He could never forget them. How could he ever? Ghost and Coltsfoot as well were now crouching down, reliving the past in their minds as Dog's-Tail continued.

"I was sleeping in my burrow when Yarrow bounced up on me, stuttering as usual. He told me about rabbits…hrair upon hrair…and that he greatly feared they were attacking us. Thinking we could handle it, I went with a sentry, and sure enough, there were many rabbits. I could hardly see the ground under them."

"I dashed back to the burrows where I alerted everyone. Does and kittens who did not live in the deeper burrows were sent there, while the Owsla were told to hold the enemies back until we find Primrose."

"When we did not find him, I knew I had to take in charge. I had called another meeting when sentries told me that the enemies were upon us. The battle had started."

Dog's-Tail shivered once more, causing Moss to say, "Sir, I think you should stop now."

"No," Coltsfoot told her, pressing his nose against her shoulder. "Let him…continue." He gulped and looked at Dog's-Tail pleadingly.

Dog's-Tail nodded. "I had not actually been in a battle myself, being only a new Captain and Forest being a relatively peaceful, though otherwise strict, place. It was horrible. The enemies…they broke into the upper burrows, tearing apart all rabbits they could see, Owsla or otherwise. The blood…the upper burrows were soaked in blood…covered in blood and rabbits writhing in agony, and even then, the enemies continued to tear upon them like bloodthirsty animals…"

Timothy yelped. Ghost shot him an angry look, which calmed him down a bit, but a bit scared by Dog's-Tail's story, he went towards his mother and laid down beside her, causing Ghost to mumble something about 'kittens not growing up'.

"I fought them, just like the others, and they were strong. One grabbed me by the ears and left it ragged, and lopped. I fought but we were totally outnumbered. When I knew we were beaten, for sure, I thought I could save even a few of the Owsla, so I told them to follow me while we fled. But…the enemies followed us, yelling about how my head would be the perfect gift for their Chief. Rowan…and Caraway…they blocked my path. They died. In front of my eyes. It was horrible…I felt helpless…and the only thing I could do was bolt…"

Ghost lowered his head. "I failed. I failed the warren, I ran away too. I ran away from my mother, from Fritillary, and Yarrow, and all of them. To save my own pelt…" He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Captain Dog's-Tail, is it?" Timothy broke in, making all the heads turn towards him. "You mentioned about getting help for your warren when I first came upon you. What was that all about, then?"

"It is a big coincidence," Dog's-Tail said. "That I came upon this place, that I came upon you, Nightshade…I mean, Ghost…"

"You do not sound right," Ghost said, a hint of chuckle in his voice. "Call me whatever you want."

"You mean I went through all that trouble…" Coltsfoot whined, then stopped, agitated. He scratched his ears in frustration, turned around in a circle, and fell down, whining.

"Nightshade-rah," Dog's-Tail said, smiling a bit at Coltsfoot's actions. "When I finally escaped their clutches, I came upon a warren, a few miles from here, far north. There I stayed and rested my wounds, and thinking that the warren was fully destroyed, I decided to stay there. It wasn't the very best of places but the rabbits were friendly and peaceful. But it was just a few days ago when a half-dead _hlessi_ came there, asking for help."

He scratched his neck. "Who do you think it is? No one but old Thistle. I didn't recognize him at first, but…"

"Thistle?" Coltsfoot asked, bolting upright. "But _how?_"

"Let me finish, laddie. Thistle recognized me though, and told me that the warren that invaded us, by the name of Quieflain, was under the rule of Primrose-rah's brother, Cherry. Cherry was still alive, it seems, though he was very, very old. He had invaded the warren of the sake of revenge. It was from Thistle I learned the full story of Bearberry-rah's sons. Also, he told me that Quieflain spared _all _the does that did not turn against them, and all the non-fighting bucks as well, or those that surrendered." He stopped, breathing in and out quickly, while regarding Ghost and Coltsfoot's amazed expressions.

"He asked me to help them, as well as the other rabbits. Quieflain was a strict society, more so than Forest's. It had guards everywhere. No one was allowed to go out, other than sentries and patrols, and instead, to help overpopulation, rabbits were killed daily. But even with that, food was scarce, and the rabbits were suffering." He scratched one ear. "Even though they used Forest's territory as their own, they were still suffering. The only way to get them out was to defeat the Owsla. I asked the warren I was in to help, but they did not want to, despite their kindness. They didn't want to get involved, the Chief said, especially with Quieflain's strong defense system. So when Thistle died, I left in search for help. Here I am now."

"They're alive," Coltsfoot said in a hushed voice. "Not my mother, but some…some are alive…my friends…some of them has to be alive…I thought all was lost, but there _has_ to be someone…alive…right?"

Ghost gave a deep sigh. "We can't."

"Sir?" Coltsfoot turned to him, confused.

"We have far too few rabbits. If Forest's Owsla cannot beat Quieflain's, neither can Primrose-rah's." Ghost stood up and looked at Dog's-Tail coldly.

Dog's-Tail shook his head. "Nightshade-rah, what happened to Primrose-rah himself?"

"Hawk," Ghost answered.

"Ate him?"

"Killed him. He killed the hawk, as well," Ghost told him.

"So you are Forest's Chief," Dog's-Tail told him in the most serious tone anyone had ever heard in him. "Why not save them?"

"I am Primrose-rah's Chief now. I cannot endanger my rabbits," Ghost answered back. He lowered his head. "I cannot help them."

"I understand," Dog's-Tail told him. "But you cannot deny your responsibilities to Forest…"

"I cannot deny my responsibilities here, either." Ghost said firmly, the wind ruffling his fur a bit. "You may stay in Primrose-rah for as long as you may wish, Captain Dog's-Tail. But I will not, I repeat, _not, _ send my rabbits off into some disastrous and hopeless attack. I will not lose a warren again." He stood up, his breathing heavy, before hopping away, leaving the other rabbits to talk among themselves.

Dog's-Tail was very disappointed. "What does he mean, he will not lose a warren again?" he asked, raising his voice in frustration. "There's still a few alive." He looked over at Coltsfoot, Timothy, and the does questioningly.

Coltsfoot sighed. "Don't you remember?" he asked, looking up at Dog's-Tail. "Who was his family? Primrose-rah and his mother. He knew so little of the rabbits back at Forest, I'm sure he wasn't willing to think that those that survived were his responsibility." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Captain. I'd help you out, but you know that I can't turn against him."

"I understand," Dog's-Tail said, sympathetically, forcing himself to smile. "Don't worry. I'll stay here for some time then I'll go find another warren that might help." He sighed, settling down on his chest as he chewed on a dandelion lying flat within the grass.

***

Ghost was thinking. Thinking about what Dog's-Tail had just said. Dog's-Tail's appearance was totally unexpected, and so were the news, so that he could not make out what he was to do. True, he had told him he didn't want to attack, but…

But. The moment he was born, he had been expected to be Forest's Chief. He had lived us such…to be the leader and protector of the warren.

Protector.

And yet, if he went, what about Primrose-rah? If he dies, and they lost, what will become of his new home? He was Chief of this warren too! Their leader and protector just as much as he was Forest's!

He groaned, closing his eyes.

_"Get out of here, sir!" _

_"If I'm just going to die here, I'm going to die protecting the leaders." _

_"Someday, you're going to look back on this and thank us." _

_"My kitten, my dear little kitten, you will grow up someday. When you do, remember how much your marli loved you." _

_"All there is to being a Chief is looking out for your rabbits." _

_"You are the warren's hope. Don't fail me." _

He snapped them open, the memories flooding his mind as he remembered them…those rabbits…they have literally thrown themselves at the enemy in order to save him. And his mother. She, too, had died, to protect him. He was their Chief but he was the one who was protected.

He had to go.

Primrose-rah was important to him, but he had to fulfill his responsibilities to Forest. He was their Chief. There were certain things in life that one cannot run away from, and this was one of them. He had to save them…those rabbits, those that survived the attack many seasons ago.

For those who died.

Because he was their Chief, and it was up to him to protect them, at all costs.

***

"Chief?" Coltsfoot asked, appearing around the corner. He walked towards his Chief quietly, ears drawn backwards. He sat down, looking at him for a moment, before asking, "Chief?"

Ghost turned his head, seeing his faithful Captain glancing at him. He sighed, before saying, "Coltsfoot, get Burnet, will you?"

"Yes sir!" Coltsfoot said, straightening his stance out. He disappeared and returned a bit later with Burnet in tow.

"What is it?" Burnet asked, giving Coltsfoot a gentle kick with his hind legs, which probably proves that he was back, only a bit more respectful now. Ghost dismissed Coltsfoot while he crouched there, Burnet looking at him curiously.

"Burnet," he said, after a bit of thinking. "How do you defeat a warren full of deadly, fearsome rabbits using an Owsla you are unsure of?"

"Device a plan," Burnet told him, scratching his neck. "A plan that will destroy them quick and easy."

"Any particular plan?" he asked. "I could sure use one."

"Not that I can think of," Burnet told him. "If we want to make a plan we have to know about our enemies and their territory's terrain…you know, the land, how their system works…everything."

Ghost nodded. "So we send a spy?"

"Yes. We send a spy." Burnet confirmed, nodding his head to emphasize it. "A spy so great he won't be caught dead."

"What kind of a spy?" Ghost asked, but the question was not directed at Burnet. In fact, he was not even looking at him, for he was pacing around, his eyes staring virtually at nothing. "A spy," he whispered, stopping suddenly as he saw several rabbits run across the place, screaming.

"What the heck is going on here?" Burnet asked hysterically, jumping in front of the first rabbit he saw, who was Agrimony.

Agrimony nodded. "Yes sir, it's a crow, sir. It's attacking one of the rabbits!"

"A crow? Yikes!" Burnet scrambled under the tree in panic.

Ghost hopped forward as he heard the horrible squealing. "Who's being attacked?"

"It's Ulézenhyze!" Fiber called from a distance. "Damn, the crow's going for his eyes!!"

Ghost and Agrimony dashed towards him as they peered down the edge of the crater. There, they saw the tiny buck under a big, black, flapping object, squealing terribly. Blood was gushing out into the ground below.

Coltsfoot and Dog's-Tail appeared, panting. "It's Ulézenhyze," Coltsfoot said, sitting down calmly. "Better leave him to that."

"Damn, that's my son out there Coltsfoot!" Onion cried, in a rage that no one has seen him in before. He faced Coltsfoot squarely. "If he dies…damn!"

"Stop it, Onion!" Bark cried, appearing in the scene. He pushed Onion aside. "This is no time to get angry!"

"What do you know?" Onion retorted, hotly.

"Ulézenhyze might be a liability, but every rabbit is worth himself," Ghost said fiercely. "Stop arguing and think clearly!"

Onion sat down. "I'm sorry, it's just that…" He sighed. "Ulézenhyze…he's a kitten…he's three months old but he's still a kitten. He's dependant on everybody and we can't…just blame this on him…it's the killing…he never got over it…"

"It's okay, lad," Dog's-Tail said. He slid down the slope and hopped towards the crow and Ulézenhyze. Upon approaching them, he cried, "Ebony!"

The crow stopped. It tilted its head at Dog's-Tail, great black eyes shining, then immediately dropped the limp Ulézenhyze. It soared off and landed on a nearby branch.

"What the heck just happened?" Bark cried. He hopped over to Dog's-Tail with Coltsfoot behind him. "Who's the crow?"

"Speak up, Captain Dog's-Tail," Ghost said, sitting down. From the corner of his eye, he saw several rabbits run towards the fallen buck, and he heard someone cry, "He's alive!" This being confirmed, he looked back at Dog's-Tail and gave a deep breath.

"Owsla," Dog's-Tail answered, sitting down. "He was the Forest's Owsla's secret spy. Only I and Primrose-rah and a few of the higher-ranking leaders in the Owsla knew about him." He sniffled. "Primrose-rah found a fallen crow nest somewhere a few seasons before you were born and took a couple of fledglings home. We raised them, and one died, leaving us with Ebony here."

"Yark! Ebony!" Ebony cried, flapping his wings.

Ghost sat down. "Isn't that a bit…dangerous?"

"No, no," Dog's-Tail said. "He only attacks rabbits he does not know. Ebony, don't attack any other rabbits from here again. They are friends."

Ebony nodded. "Yark! Where Primrose-rah?"

"Gone, stopped running," Dog's-Tail told him as he tried to look up.

But that proved unnecessary, for Ebony had dropped down the ground. The bird looked at Ghost curiously, then said, "You Nightshade-rah?"

"Was," Ghost said, looking away.

"Now he's Ghost," Coltsfoot told Ebony. Then, remembering something, he added, "And I'm…"

"Cow's foot, yark, caw!" Ebony cried, flapping his wings.

"Coltsfoot, you dope!" Coltsfoot groaned.

"I have it," Ghost said, looking at Ebony. He hopped nearer to him and said, "Can you spy for us?"

"You Chief of Forest now Primrose-rah gone! I spy for you," Ebony told him, nodding his head. "Yark! I spy for you!"

"Spy?" Dog's-Tail asked, confused.

Ghost shook his question away. "Do you remember where Forest was situated before?"

"Caw! I remember Forest place! I been there some time before but I see only strange rabbits, ya, only strange rabbits." He stretched his wings. "Caw!"

"I want you to spy around Forest's area," Ghost said, getting to the point immediately. "And the nearby warren of Quieflain. Take note of their sentries, the terrain, _everything_." He stamped.

Ebony cawed. "Mission accepted!" he cried, flying off.

When he was gone, Dog's-Tail stared at Ghost, wide-eyed. "So you…you'll help, after all, Chief?"

"Dog's-Tail," Ghost said, ignoring his question. "You are hereby appointed Captain of our Owsla, along with Captain Bark and Captain Coltsfoot."

"_Three_ Captains?" Bark wailed. "THREE freaking Captains? Why? WHY? Oh Frith, I'm becoming like Burnet! WHY, OH WHY?"

"It's okay with me!" Coltsfoot said, smiling at the Captain that had taught him most everything he knows.

"I'll tell you my intentions later," Ghost answered.

"Thank you for the honor, Nightshade-rah," Dog's-Tail said, smiling as he stood up on his hind legs. "But as my previous question, why the quick change of mind?"

Ghost turned around to leave, but not before saying, "A Chief. Means protecting your warren. And all the rabbits in it."


	31. Preperations: Quieflain's Adversaries

**31 – Preparations: Quieflain's Adversaries **

Ghost looked over at the three Captains that stood in front of him, waiting for any commands he was going to give. It was dawn, and Frith had hardly started his journey across the skies. Several of the rabbits were huddled around, a few eavesdropping, the rest on sentry duty as Owsla officers.

He yawned, scratching his ear thoughtfully. Finally, on an unseen signal, he lifted his head and sat, his ears standing straight up. He looked around the rabbits, including at his son, who happened to be nearby, trying to get as much information on this war his father's warren was going to do.

"As we all know," Ghost started, flinging his gaze from one rabbit to the other. "We are going to attack Quieflain. However, we clearly are not enough to defeat them." He raised a paw, only to drop it at almost the same time. "We will be asking for help from Inléthlay, which, I believe, is under Clover-rah's rule."

He looked at Coltsfoot. "Captain Coltsfoot will lead to expedition to the warren. Along with them would be Fiber, Trefoil, Lady's-Mantle, and Burnet."

A wail rang through the air, but nobody bothered to see who it was, for it was Burnet, for sure. And just as they suspected, they heard the rabbit grunting to himself angrily. "Why me? Oh Frithrah, why me?"

"Yup, it was just the accident," Bark was thought to be heard saying.

But that was all Burnet said, for it seemed he was going to go, no matter what _he_ whined about.

"Sir!" Corn cried, stepping up. She wiggled her nose. "Can I come?"

Ghost looked at her. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Corn nodded. "I want to see my friends again."

"Fine. Captain Coltsfoot! You may leave."

Coltsfoot hopped towards him and raised his head. "Yes sir!" Turning around to the rabbits that were to come with him, now all piled up in a corner, he said, "Let's go lads! And lass! Get a-moving before the elil get you!"

They hopped up the crater, to disappear around the edge. They were likely to get to Inléthlay in far less time then when they came here. Inléthlay, according to Fiber, was south from Primrose-rah. When Ghost and the band of rabbits that went with him left it, they went northwest, got Willow into trouble, headed straight west for a few miles and met Mushroom and Bark, then headed back east, where Corn gave birth and they found Primrose-rah. So technically, they could get to Inléthlay without all the trouble they came through.

Ghost was going to dismiss everyone when Bark hopped up to him. "Ghost," he said, in a matter-of-fact tone. He wiped his nose. "I also need to leave."

"For what?" Ghost asked, turning to him and raising both of his ears.

"For…things…" Bark said, faltering. He wanted this to be surprise. Surprises are often more appreciated than those that are not. Coltsfoot leaving for Inléthlay had made him intensely jealous. True, he didn't hate Coltsfoot, but having the younger Captain do an intensely important job, and him not, was more than he could handle. And now this preposition of his might make things balance out a bit between them.

Ghost wasn't very pleased though. They were in the middle of preparing a war, and here was one of his Captains, thinking of leaving? He scratched the ground angrily. "There is no time for such things."

"Heck, I can come back here quicker than that Coltsfoot!" Bark growled. He paced around, angrily. "I'll be back before _hrair_ days. I swear!"

Ghost looked at him, grunting. "And if you're not?"

"I'll be," Bark retorted back.

"Then take two rabbits with you," Ghost said, gritting his teeth in anger. "And don't endanger them. Unless you want your position to be stripped off."

Bark growled again, his leg thumping from his anger. But he did not say anything about it. Rather, he said, "Fine, sir. Sage! And you! Onion! Come with me."

He turned away. The two rabbits, one of who had been with Zen and Poppy when they came into the warren, shrugged and followed him.

When this was done, Ghost looked at the rabbits, expecting someone, _anyone_, to come up and suggest something about leaving. Seeing that nobody dared to say anything, whether they _had_ something to say or not, he hopped away, breathing deeply from his anger.

***

It was_ fu-Inlé _three days after Coltsfoot left, and most of the rabbits had gone off to sleep in their burrows, snug and warm even with the cold air. Except Ghost. He was staring off into space, thinking about many things…the warren, the attack, and the plan Burnet said they were to do, if they wanted to be sure of victory.

He saw something flutter in the sky. Rising up to his hind legs, he called, "Ebony! Here!"

The bird landed towards him. He shuffled his feathers and waddled around for a bit, before saying, "I got reports."

Ghost waited.

"The reports," the crow said, looking up at him. "Warren heavily guarded with many, _hrair_, rabbits. Far many for usual number of guards. Many watch from d' distance. Other warren more sentries than old Forest. CAW!" He squawked. "Sentries all 'round. Plenty, fierce rabbits. Scars all over. CAW!"

Ghost was quiet as he digested the information Ebony had just given him. Plenty of rabbits mean plenty of fights, which he wanted to avoid. If he attacked head-on he would lose more rabbits.

"You may go," he said harshly, without thanking the bird. Used to this kind of attitude, since Primrose was mostly the same, Ebony flew off without another word.

Ghost walked across the grass, his head reeling from all the thinking. He could not remember a time when he had done more. Darn, where was Burnet when you needed him? He vaguely remembered sending the rabbit off with Coltsfoot. Darn.

Oh, the irony…

He stopped as he heard a sound coming from underground. He hopped over to the nearest hole and found a few rabbits huddled around in a big burrow, one of whom he recognized as Dog's-Tail. Remaining hidden behind the shadows, he waited, to see what Dog's-Tail was going to say.

"…Rowsby Woof!…and avoided it in time. I myself am here at the risk of my own safety to warn you. You, are lucky indeed that I am your friend, for otherwise your good master must have been stricken with mortal plague."

"'With plague?' cried Rowsby Woof. "Oh how, good fairy?"

"'Many fairies and spirits there are in the animal kingdoms of the East,' said Elahrairah. 'Some friends and there those…may misfortune strike them down…who are our deadly enemies. Worst of them all, Rowsby Woof, is the great Rat-Spirit of Sumatra, the curse of Hamelin. He dares not openly fight our noble Queen, but he works by stealth, by poison, by disease. Soon after you left me, I learned that he has sent his hateful rat-goblins through the cloud, carrying sickness. I warned the Queen; sickness falls…and the goblins," There was a pause. "Are very near…it will harm not you, but your master it will slay, and me too, I fear. You can save him, and you alone. I cannot.'"

"'Oh horror!' cried Rowsby Woof. 'There is no time to be lost! What must I do, Fairy Wogdog?'"

Ghost slunk away as something formed in his head. It was too vague to be considered an idea, but there was a chance…

He went to the bend of another run and hopped into a burrow. There, Moss, Parsley, and Violet were huddled, all keeping themselves warm while they slept. He quietly edged towards Moss and shook her gently.

Moss opened her eyes, red, even in the darkness. She wiggled her pink nose and asked, gently, "What is it, sir?"

"Come with me," Ghost said quietly. He hopped away as she followed him, meekly.

When they were outside, Ghost turned to her. "You came from humans, right?" he asked her.

Moss nodded. "Yes."

"Were there dogs there?"

She nodded once more.

"It's not very far, is it?"

"It's very far, sir. It's on the sunrise side. I can't really remember the exact place, but I might. But it's far sir…very far…" She looked up at him. "Why, sir?"

"Can you come with me?" he asked. "I want to get a good look at the place. Perhaps it might save Forest." He scratched his ear.

Moss looked around, anxiously. "Won't it be…dangerous?" she asked, shivering. "No, no, it's too dangerous, it's too…dangerous."

Ghost shook his head. "No it won't be. I'm going with you."

The whites of her eyes were showing as she muttered, "I'm with young…I can't travel…"

"It's only till I get some ideas for the attack," Ghost snapped back, thinking this was getting nowhere. He hopped across the grass around her.

"But…but…" Moss shivered. "No, I don't want to. There's a house over there! Why couldn't…you go there instead?"

"There's no man left there," Ghost said, getting impatient. "No man means no dogs. Come on, you're not going to die!"

He pushed her roughly with his nose. "Look. Just get me to the human place. It's that simple!" He growled. "Get moving."

Moss hasn't seen Ghost this mad before. Shivering up to her ears, she willingly hopped off with Ghost behind her.

***

"I'm so tired, I'm so tired, I'm so tired, I'm so tired…"

Burnet's whines were getting to the irritated rabbits. Especially to Coltsfoot. Heck, he had tolerated it the past three days but this was outrageous! He cursed, loud enough to make everyone turn their heads and look at him strangely.

"Why are you all staring at me like that?" Coltsfoot asked, baring his teeth.

"Uh, nothing, sir," Agrimony immediately piped up. He turned his head away from Coltsfoot.

"Don't be so hotheaded, Coltsfoot," Fiber said as he stopped and sniffed. "We're almost there."

"Almost there?" Coltsfoot asked, confused. He hopped closer to Fiber. "Frith in the sky! This soon?" He shook himself. "Three days? Frithrah, it took us _hrair_ days to find Primrose-rah!"

"You're forgetting we had to find it first, Coltsfoot," Corn pointed out, sitting beside him. She looked over at the warren below them. "Frith, as much as I love Primrose-rah, I've really missed Inléthlay."

Coltsfoot stretched himself. "Fine, let's go."

***

It was at the crack of dawn, and the two rabbits, the gray one and the white one, were hopping across the seemingly endless fields.

"I don't really remember," Moss announced. She stopped, panting for breath. "Can we go back now? Please?"

"I need to _get_ to the human place before we even think about going back," Ghost said stubbornly. He stamped, sending a mouse scooting across the grass. Sensing this as a good way to find the place Moss came from, he pounced on it.

The mouse squeaked, making Ghost's ears flick backwards. But he held it firmly as he asked, "There human place nearby?"

The mouse squeaked. It didn't want to answer, but Ghost's big, hulking form, compared to its tiny mass, was too intimidating. It said, in a very nervous voice, "Straight on…no stop…near, very near."

Ghost let it go. It jumped before disappearing into some hidden den somewhere.

"Come on," Ghost told her, hopping on.

***

"Coltsfoot!" Clover exclaimed, his face suddenly looking brighter as he saw old friends. He stood up, grinning widely, as Coltsfoot stepped forward and touched noses with him.

"And Fiber!" he added, touching noses with his hefty son. "Haven't seen you in a long, long time!"

He was more surprised when he saw Burnet. He would sooner have expected Frith to rise in the middle of the night than expect Burnet to come back. He hopped closer to the smaller buck to touch noses with him, before going back to his position.

He wiped his muzzle with both paws before asking, "My friends, what brings you to my warren once more?"

Coltsfoot stepped forward. Sitting down on his haunches, a serious expression on his face, he said, "Our Chief sends his wishes."

"Spirit, was it?" Clover asked, scratching his head. "Oh, my memory is becoming bad!" he added, at Coltsfoot's confused look. "Was it Ghost, then? It was Ghost, wasn't it?"

"Yes sir, yes sir," Coltsfoot said, overcoming his perplexity. "Yes sir, Ghost-rah of Primrose-rah sent us here. He wishes to ask Inléthlay to help him defeat a particular warren."

Clover's face grew serious again. He sat up, looking at Coltsfoot. "Defeat a particular warren?"

Coltsfoot nodded, ready to give full detail of the story. "My master was the former Chief of another warren, which was destroyed. We recently learned that a few of the rabbits are still alive, although kept in captive." He gave a deep breath. "We want to rescue them and defeat the warren. However, our Owsla troops are far too small for a full-fledged attack. And now, as a fellow warren, we are asking for your help in this matter." He sighed, wondering whether he said his speech right.

Clover gave a slight nod. "I understand. And what particular warren might this be?"

"Quieflain."

"Quieflain…eh?" Clover scratched his head and turned to a rabbit crouching beside him. "Say, you…what's your name? Chickweed, isn't it? Ever heard of Quieflain before? Eh?"

Chickweed nodded his head. "Yes. Quieflain." He looked over at Coltsfoot and bared his teeth. "Wanting to fight Quieflain, huh? I bet you haven't actually met any rabbits from there before."

Coltsfoot stamped, getting angry at Chickweed's nasty comment. "I have," he said hastily. "And survived it."

"And you probably never will next time you meet them," Chickweed retorted hotly.

Clover gave a silent grunt. Then, in his same, mellow tone, he said, "Stop it, both of you. Quieflain, eh? Explain all of this to me, Captain Chickweed." He looked at the rabbit with a questioning gaze.

The Captain sighed. "Quieflain is one of the most powerful warrens in the district. Their Owsla is in top shape." He shook his head. "We can not do this, Chief. We'll kill our own Owsla. Let them take care of their problem." With that, he growled at Coltsfoot.

"How do you know all of this, Chickweed?" Clover asked once more. He was still looking at his Captain, quite suspiciously, for the most part.

Chickweed gave a quick snort. "Quieflain is far from here, but a warren with high standings such as them won't go unnoticed by everyone. In my patrols I have met rabbits on the verge of dying, right after escaping Quieflain. Almost torn apart, I might add."

"I see," Clover nodded. "I'm afraid I cannot grant your Chief's wishes, Coltsfoot. We can't risk our Owsla…"

"Besides, what will we gain?" Chickweed quickly added.

Burnet stopped forward, his face showing a certain determination. He shoved Coltsfoot out of the way, mostly unsuccessfully, although Coltsfoot did step off in front of Clover, and sat down in front of the Chief. Combing his ears, he said, "What will you gain? I'll tell you what you'll gain." He stamped. "I left this warren moons ago because it was too overcrowded." He stared at Clover. "If we win against Quieflain. If we destroy their Owsla, and their Chief, you'll have your own land." Upon seeing Coltsfoot's surprised and anxious look, he said, "Ghost told me to say this." He turned back to his father. "You'll have all that was Quieflain. Imagine what you can do with it."

Clover wasn't a power-hungry Chief, but an offer like this seems good enough. Yes, they _could_ do lots with Quieflain once it's theirs. At this, Clover looked back at Chickweed. "You think that's good?" he asked, anxious to know his Captain of the Owsla's opinion.

Chickweed was in deep thoughts. "Perhaps," he said, quietly. "Perhaps. Suppose they are right, sir. I still don't think we can defeat Quieflain. Our forces, though many, are still too weak."

"By strength alone we will not win," Burnet said, scratching his neck. "But we will not attack by strength alone."

Clover gave a quiet, reassuring nod. "That's it then. We will have a truce. Your warren and mine, together as one, against this warren you call Quieflain. Let's discuss this matters…"

***

They have been traveling for quite a while now, so Ghost was immensely glad that they have finally reached the place they have been looking for. He peered around the edge of the fence, hoping not to run into trouble, when a sudden barking startled him.

He stopped, rigid, his muscles tense with fear, but it turned out that there was no dog to be seen at all. When he was sure of this, he nudged the half-frozen Moss on, giving words of encouragement although he certainly didn't feel like giving them at this rate.

When the white doe finally obliged to hop beside him, he continued to hop on, but another sudden, angry barking sounded through the air. He stood up on his hind legs and turned a bit around in order to find the dog's location, so he should know where to bolt.

He saw a movement, near his left. He turned towards it, his ears shooting straight up, but what he saw gave him relief. The dog…dogs, to be precise…were behind kennels. They could bark all day long and they couldn't have killed him. Relieved, he hopped told Moss that they'd hop around the place for a while and see if he could diverse a plan. She argued. She wanted to stay, she said, but he won't have it.

"Lest the dogs get away," he said, and she nervously followed him again.

Ghost hopped towards a shed that caught his eye. There was a door to it, and he carefully cuffed it with his paw. If he was right, this was the way doors opened. When he helped Willow escape from the small farm near Primrose-rah, he had learned a lot about doors.

The door was very light, and it swayed easily. When it gave way into the shed, Ghost bravely hopped inside, his nostrils quivering at the strange, man-reeked place.

"Hey!"

Ghost looked around, confused. He turned to Moss, who seemed very quiet.

"Was that you?" he asked.

Moss shook her head meekly.

"Hey, over here!"

Ghost located the source of the voice. He hopped on top of a wooden crate and peered into a rabbit hutch, situated above a small table. Two strangely-colored rabbits were inside.

"Who are you?" one of the hutch-rabbits asked. It was a buck, a white Dutch rabbit with patches of black all over him. He sniffed the edge of the hutch. "You a wild rabbit? Cool!"

Moss, who had been crouching there ever since Ghost had entered the shed, came up to the crate next to him and peered into the hutch. "Hi Basil," she said softly.

The black and white rabbit sniffed her. "Moss! Moss, you're alive! I thought Rufus got you!" He shook his companion with a paw, sending the rabbit's eyes open. "Hear that, Daisy? Moss's alive! Rufus didn't get him!"

Ghost glanced around the place before looking at Basil, the black and white rabbit, and asking, "Do you think you can help us out?"

"Out? How?" Basil asked, scratching his head and licking his hind paw.

Ghost hopped onto the table with surprisingly little effort and leaned against the hutch. "I need to get the dogs to attack a warren," he said honestly. He hated doing this. Asking for help. It hurt his pride more than anything else, but he was aware that right now, asking was the only thing he could do…

He waited while Basil collected his thoughts. Finally, the rabbit looked at him and said, "Would you like to hear the story of Elahrairah and Rowsby Woof?"

***

"So, this is basically how we do it, then?" Clover said, questioningly, as he gathered all what the rabbits have just told him. "As allies, we will be sending our troops to Spirit's warren…" He glanced at Coltsfoot and coughed. "Yes, Ghost! Ghost! Okay, I remember! Ghost! Yes, we'll be sending our troops to Ghost's warren and all battle plans will be made there, am I right?"

"You're not going then, father?" Fiber asked, stepping forward and looking at the old rabbit expectantly.

Clover glanced at him. "I can?"

"Hey, you're the Chief," Burnet muttered, rolling his eyes. "What do you expect?"

Clover stopped, perplexed. "Oh, I see," he said, causing a couple of glares from some rabbits nearby. He scratched his neck. "Okay, I'm coming. Captain Chickweed!" He stood up and faced his Captain of the Owsla straightly. "You'll take care of the warren while we're gone."

***

Having heard the story again, and in its full version this time, Ghost was in high spirits. He nodded at Basil and carefully went to the hutch's wire and started examining it with utmost curiosity.

"What are you going to do, huh? What?" Basil asked.

Ghost shook his head. "How do they open this?" he asked, in answer to Basil's own question. He scratched the wire, to no avail.

"I'm not really very sure," Basil answered. He looked at his companion and asked, "Daisy, you know how they open this? Huh?"

Daisy looked at him and silently shook her head. The doe was unsure of the matter, more so than the buck was.

Basil shrugged. He hopped to the edge of the wire and placed both of his paws on it, placing his full weight against it. But nothing happened. He tried this again, and still, it did not work. Sighing, he sat down and scrubbed his face. "Well, guess that's it. You leaving now?"

There was a sound nearby. Footsteps, coming towards them. Ghost, aware that they were humans, grabbed Moss by the neck and pulled her over in a dark corner while he waited, his pulse racing with tension as the humans stepped inside the shed.

They talked, seemingly for a long time, doing nothing in particular. Then, one bent over Basil's hutch and opened it. The man was pushing a bowl of pellets inside.

"Run! Get out of there!" Ghost yelled.

Basil didn't want to do it, but he guessed that that was the only thing he could do. He suddenly leaped towards the open door, knocking himself against the outstretched human hand. His claws raked across the skin, instinctively, and the human drew back, shouting and screaming with pain as blood poured out of his wound.

"Daisy! Daisy, get out of there!" Basil cried, stamping. "They won't wait so long! Come on, Daisy!"

The doe was frightened. She did not really understand the situation very well, but seeing Basil out of the hutch was enough explanation for her. She blindly leaped out of the hutch and landed on top of Basil. She squirmed and squeaked, but before she could do that any further, she felt herself being shoved out of the shed, along with the Dutch rabbit.

"Follow me," Ghost said, keeping an eye out for the humans. It seemed that they were caring more about the wounded one's injuries than catching the rabbits, and this gave him the advantage that they needed in order to escape. He nudged the three, half-_tharn_ hutch rabbits. They were very dazed from the slight excitement that had just happened, but they managed to follow him, willingly, Daisy and Basil glad that they finally escaped their human captors.


	32. Zen

**32 – Zen **

The hefty doe was sitting beside Poppy, rubbing her face clean. Poppy was on sentry, and she decided to accompany him, thinking of ways to murder Bark and Coltsfoot. All in good humor, though. She really didn't think she would want to kill them. Well, she _could_, but it would mean she'll probably get killed by the others, which wasn't a good thing to happen.

She gave a deep sigh, making the buck turn and look at her. "Eh, yew bore, lassie?" He scratched an ear. "Is boring job, yes?"

"Yes," Zen said, half-heartedly, hardly realizing what the buck had just asked her.

Poppy glared at her. "Yew no very good mood. Eh, s'not very good warren. Dat Ghost kid's no good a Chief." He twitched.

"You're saying that cause he beat you in a battle," Zen said, walking across in front of him and patting the scar on his neck from the wound that Ghost had given him. "He's a good Chief, you know. Aloof, and cold, and you know…those eyes sometimes give you the creeps. But he's okay. If not the friendliest Chief on the place, but it could have been worse."

"Eh," Poppy snorted, turning away from her and glaring at the ground instead. "Dose captains…abuse, s'all they ever give."

Zen snorted with him. She wasn't very fond of the Captains, especially the two former ones. Although she did realize that they were just gruff rabbits doing their job, she couldn't believe they didn't want her as an officer. It was outrageous!

She crouched beside Poppy, her mind drifting off as she nibbled on a tiny patch of grass. Poppy glanced at her for a moment before doing the same, eating the now-thinning grasses that were the result of the season. Winter was coming soon.

For a while the two crouched there, grazing on the flay, before a slight movement from the distance caught Poppy's eyes. He sat up in alarm, his eyes scanning the horizon.

His nose caught a whiff of some sort of scent, and at this he stamped the ground as hard as he could, while crying out loud, "E's _elil_! _Elil_, me tell yew!" He started stomping around the place like mad, screaming. Finally, he looked over at Zen and cried, "What ye waiting dere' for? Get a' move on! We got _elil_ and ya's just standing 'round dere' doin' nothin'? Frith and Inlé!"

"Yeah, sure," Zen muttered. She followed Poppy off to the crater to locate Dog's-Tail.

The new Captain was sitting in a corner, playing bob-stones with Pike. The moment the two rabbits bounded in sight, he placed a paw down the ground and looked at them sternly. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"E's _elil_. Ain't sure what e' was, but e' sure stinks," Poppy said, panting and snorting. He dropped down the ground. "If ye's really a good Captain yew better get dere' n' do somethin'."

Dog's-Tail stamped. "Rabbits! Get underground immediately!" he called, sending most of the surrounding rabbits rushing to the nearest holes. When he was sure that everyone in sight was gone, except Zen, Poppy, and Agrimony, he hopped up the slope and to the edge of the crater. There, he stood up.

"I don't see anything," he said, plainly, sniffing the air.

"Hey! Me knows what me saw and dere ain't nothin' yew can do 'bout it!" Poppy retorted back.

"Touchy," Zen muttered.

"Aye! Doe! Don't dare do 'dat!" Poppy growled.

"I really can't see anything," Dog's-Tail said, putting both his paws to the ground and turning around. "And stop arguing. We can't have that at a time like this, now can we?"

"S'we can," Poppy stated.

Dog's-Tail sighed. He looked back at the ground. Was it possible that elil could have reached them?

There were a series of shrieks, and to this he stood up in alarm, his right ear shooting straight up. "Heck," he said, hopping down a bit more. "What is that?"

"Dunno, but it ain't soundin' right," Poppy said. The heavy rabbit looked over at the Captain. "Whatsa goin' do now?"

"Heck, you're the one who's not doing anything," Zen growled, staring at Poppy straight in the eye. When this was done, she jumped down the slope as quick as she could and started running towards the nearest burrow.

"Come on, move lads!" Dog's-Tail cried as he scurried down the slope. "She's a doe! We can't leave her to do Owsla duty!"

"Yes sir!" came the reply of the Owsla, Agrimony.

"Pretty sure she's takin' care of 'erself pretty fine," Poppy told him, but Dog's-Tail wouldn't have that.

They headed off to the hole Zen went through and traveled across the runs, tense. The burrows were reeking of _elil_. It was as if something had passed through here just a while ago. Dog's-Tail couldn't believe they had missed it, whatever it was.

They turned around a corner and into a straight run. There, they reached a dead end.

Does and several youngsters were huddled against each other in a corner, flattening themselves down the ground as best as they could. A dead rabbit lay a few feet across, its throat torn open, and by the horrible smell in the place, Dog's-Tail could guess that there were a few more, only hidden. He wrinkled his nose as he looked a bit further away, where Zen was, bleeding all over, with a weasel in front of her.

The moment they saw the weasel, Agrimony felt the need to bolt. It was, after all, an _elil_, and he didn't want to stand around seeing it rip open everyone until it finally goes after him. But Dog's-Tail and Poppy's reaction stopped him completely in his tracks.

The two rabbits had hurled themselves towards the weasel, grabbing the nearest flesh they could get their teeth on. The weasel growled and went at them, but it found Zen clinging to its throat.

Overpowered. Weasels are notorious for being bloodthirsty killers, but even then, it was overpowered, with the three heavy rabbits clinging on to him for dear life. It was confused. Rabbits aren't fighters! They're mellow creatures! It started slashing, its attacks sending bits of fur and blood flying across the burrow.

Agrimony hesitated for a moment. But seeing the three attacking the _elil_, so unlike a natural rabbit's reaction, even an Owsla's, was too much for him. Baring his teeth, he flew towards them and joined in the attack.

A few moments of snapping and growling passed, but when that was finished, the rabbits abandoned the completely dead weasel, its body torn to pieces with teeth designed for cutting grass. It was astounding.

Dog's-Tail crouched in a corner, beside the dead rabbit, licking his bloodied lips and the various wounds the weasel had inflicted. "It was a wonder," he said, upset by the situation. "Why we haven't seen it."

"It was a weasel," Agrimony told him, sitting down beside one of the does and licking his wounds. "They've been known to destroy whole warrens without the rabbits knowing, sir."

Dog's-Tail shook his head. "Such…an unnecessary event to happen, and in the Chief's absence too. It's a pity we don't know where he went." He grunted, looking at the dead rabbit beside him. "Petals? This is Petals, right?"

Vetch nodded, still shaking. "It…it also went into Columbine's burrow. We're not sure if she…" She stopped, staring down at the ground.

Dog's-Tail sighed, shaking his head once more. Turning to Agrimony, he said in a low voice, "Go see to Columbine's burrow, will you?"

Without a word, Agrimony hopped off, leaving the rabbits to mourn in silence. He returned after a few seconds, shaking his head. "No," he said. "None of them. Not even the kittens. Captain Bark sure picked a good time to leave."

"Two of Parsley's kittens are gone too, both bucks," Alder said, leaning against Parsley to console her. "They're in that burrow." She looked over at a connecting burrow, where two young rabbits lay, lifeless. Dog's-Tail realized them as the dead rabbits he had earlier smelt. He shook his head once more.

"This is just devastating," he muttered. "Very devastating."

"Eh, y'can't do nothin' 'bout it now," Poppy stated, his fur matted with all the blood. "Ye gotta' be glad we ain't losin' more rabbits den we're losin' now. Rabbit com' n' rabbit go, dat's life. Ev'ry rabbit for 'imself, that's de' way things're supposed t'be."

"Have a heart," Parsley spluttered out.

"Eh, shuddup doe," Poppy growled.

"But he's right," Dog's-Tail told them, suddenly lifting up his head, his droopy ears rising a little. "We could have lost more. Thanks to Zen, we didn't lose anymore than we have." He craned his neck as he scratched it. "Of course, it could have been better if we haven't lost any." He sighed and looked straight at the doe. "Zen, dear. It's a wonder why no one chose you to be an officer. Things could have been better here if you were, so what do you say? I'm not a Captain for nothing, you know."

Zen nodded. "Thanks, that'll be good. And don't worry, I won't mock Bark. He's got enough trouble on his paws already."


	33. Early Autumn

**33 – Early Autumn **

Fern gave a sigh…a long, deep sigh that said all her feelings for the moment. She was silflaying near the slope inside the crater, alone, watching as the other rabbits romped among themselves, oblivious of her presence.

She had been turned into a complete outcast ever since the story of her hostile attitude towards Willow circulated around the warren. Nearly everyone ignored her in one way or another…some coincidentally, others simply because they wished to.

Willow and Corn, her two friends from Inléthlay, had acted differently. They had tried, many times, to talk to her, but like the proud doe that she was, she refused to talk back, ignoring them the same way the rest ignored her, so that all they could do was walk away.

She hated it, the way things have turned out. She turned around to nibble at her back before telling herself once more on how much she hated it.

Drowning in self-pity…alone…this was not the way she was supposed to live. She cuffed the ground, sending bits of loose dirt flying through the air. No, this wasn't…

She suddenly saw some of the rabbits on _silf_ scramble towards one direction, their ears lifted. She turned her head sideways, wondering what was up. At that moment, she saw a group of rabbits climbing down the sloped insides of the crater, most of them fierce looking and hefty.

***

"Who the heck are those?" Timothy asked, his head adjacent to Dog's-Tail's as he stood up on his hind legs, paws dangling down. He wiggled his nose and dropped down. 

Dog's-Tail gave a wide grin. "It's about time," he said, a hint of relief in his tone. "I've been fearing that another weasel would come." He nodded before hopping towards a cream, lop-eared buck and touched noses with him. 

"Nice journey?" Dog's-Tail asked, smiling widely at his fellow Captain. 

Coltsfoot nodded, smiling as well. "Yeah. Hard time bringing this lot over here. We had a bloody hard time. Had to break up in several groups to avoid getting attacked. Look who he found." He motioned over to the buck beside him. 

"Captain Bark," Dog's-Tail said, his voice suddenly becoming softer. He shook his head before saying, "Where have you been?" 

Bark perked up his small ears. He haven't seen Dog's-Tail in this mood since he had arrived, and it surprised him. "I fetched…the remaining Owsla from my old warren," he answered, pointing his nose towards a small group of bucks behind him, separated from the rest of the rabbits. He gave a wide grin as he proudly added, "They stayed loyal to me. After I left Mushroom's place, most of the Owsla were killed, but a few were alive and they fought against each other. Rabbit after rabbit, fighting. Mushroom was killed and the rabbits broke up. They were going to leave when I found them." He stood up and stretched. "Yep. It's good to be home. How's everything?" 

"I…" Dog's-Tail stammered. He gave a deep sigh. 

"I'll handle this," Timothy broke in, stepping nimbly towards Bark. "Columbine and your kittens have been destroyed by _elil_." Every inch of his body hated him for saying it this way, so quick and cold, but he knew it would have been the way his father would have said it. He had to learn. 

Bark stared at him, his eyes wide in shock. "You…" he started. "You're…kidding…" 

"I'm sorry," Timothy said. He suddenly found that it was difficult to keep eye contact with Bark. He dropped his head, sighing. How could his father manage to do these things? Shaking his head, he added, "A weasel got into our poor defense…systems…Columbine, the kittens, and Petals…" 

"PETALS?" Onion cried, from the back of the group. He pushed his way towards the front and stood in front of Timothy, shaking all over. "Oh Frith, no…Frithrah…Frithrah…" 

He crouched down beside Bark, trembling. 

"Columbine and Petals were among the best does I've known," someone broke in. Timothy and Dog's-Tail turned around to see a big, aged buck hopping towards them. He rubbed his forepaws on his muzzle. "It's a bad loss, I know, lads," he said, turning towards Bark and Onion. "But it's a rabbit fact. We live, we die. Don't feel too bad. There are plenty of does. I'll send a few more here, if you wish." 

"My kittens…" murmured Bark. 

"And kittens, you will have plenty of kittens," Clover sympathized. "Don't fret over one litter. It happens." 

Onion jerked his head up as Clover mentioned 'kittens'. He looked towards Dog's-Tail and asked, his voice trembling, "Ulézenhyze…he wasn't…" He waited to see whether he would finish for him or not. 

Dog's-Tail shook his head. "No, he's alright, laddie. No need to worry about that." 

"Thank Frith. I may have many kittens but he's a special one," Onion replied. He still didn't look too happy, but he was relieved that his son was alive. "May I be excused sirs? I need to see to him." 

"Yes, go on," Dog's-Tail told him. "Go see him. He'll be happy to see you. Your old burrows have been covered. I don't see him around, so he's probably in Alder's." 

Onion tipped his head forward before lolloping away. 

"I'll…need some time alone…" Bark muttered as he went off as well. 

Clover watched as he disappeared off. When he could no longer be seen, he turned to the rabbits spread out in front of him and said, "Well, where your Chief? By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Clover, Chief of Inléthlay." 

Dog's-Tail gave a smile, despite his apparent sadness over the loss of the two does and the kittens. "I am one of the warren's Captains of the Owsla. Dog's-Tail, they call me. Our Chief at the present moment can't see you. He's sort of…disappeared." 

"Disappeared?" Coltsfoot interjected. "To where?" 

Dog's-Tail gave a shrug. "Three days after you left for Inléthlay, he mysteriously disappeared. Moss's gone too." He gave a deep sigh. "That was why…we were in such a mess when the weasel came…" 

"But he'll be back," Timothy added to this. The dark rabbit gave a knowing smile. "He'll be back. Sure he will. In the meantime, Clover-rah, you and your army may rest here and get acquainted with ours. Flay's not very good this season, and we don't have any _flayrah_, but you'll be well rested." 

"Thank you, that would be okay with us," Clover answered back. 

*** 

Fern sighed again, flexing her claws. She narrowed her eyes as a buck hopped towards her, and gave a wide, angry snort. The buck stared at her, gulped, before hopping away. _Darn, that was one scary doe, _he thought to himself. _ So much for talking to one. _

When he was gone, Fern relaxed herself. _ Those ugly bucks, _she thought. Ghost's image flashed into her mind, and she shivered in anger and frustration. She had practically thrown herself at him, and he never even gave her a single glance! That made her madder than she was before, that and the fact that loneliness was eating away her very soul. 

She paced around in a circle for no particular reason, muttering all the curses she could possibly summon. 

She stopped as several more rabbits appeared at the top of the crater. "What now?" she groaned, sitting down. She saw a gray rabbit hop down, and her heart practically melted at that moment. It was Ghost. Where had he been, the past few days? 

Behind him came the white doe, Moss. Then, two strange rabbits appeared…rabbits she haven't seen before. She squinted. One was a strange black and white, while the other one was almost of the same pattern, except it had brown patches instead of black. 

She watched as Ghost had a brief, unheard conversation within several of the Captains and Clover. She looked on for some time before giving out a hearty chuckle. She'd been like this the past few months. Watching everyone. She haven't been this observant before. It was a wonder how things could change so soon. 

She turned her head away from them as she stared at the grass, a bit sparse as the winter drew near. And she wondered. Would she die this winter? Probably. Those rabbits would probably drive her away, with all the lack of food. After all, why would they want her here? She'd probably die this winter, wilting away with the flowers and leaves and plants, all alone… 

A shadow approached her. Groaning, she turned towards it, expecting some Inléthlay buck to come and force a stupid conversation with her. Baring her teeth, she came face to face with the black and white rabbit she saw with Ghost just a while ago. 

"What do you want?" she hissed. 

The rabbit scratched his neck. He was a chunky rabbit, and had deep black eyes. "Jeesh, what's your problem? Huh?" he said, sitting down beside her, hardly threatened by her impetuous words. "I just wanted to make friends in this warren, that's all. Nothing to worry about." 

"Go away," Fern growled some more, thumping her leg. "I don't need you here." 

"I just wanted to talk and all," the buck argued. "Nothing to worry about, hey! I'm a hutch rabbit. Your Chief, I guess that's what he is…Ghost, was he? Yeah, he was Ghost. Uh huh…he set me and my friend over there, her name's Daisy by the way, he set us free from the man's house. You probably know Moss, dontcha? Moss's our friend too. I just saw you around and thought, perhaps, since we're staying here, I got to make friends." He heaved a sigh. "My name's Basil. Who're you?" 

Fern looked at him. What was with this buck? First he tells her his life story, then he tells her his name. He didn't even mind that she was getting angry. She snorted. "Go away!" 

"Come on, I'll find out anyway, sooner or later," Basil said, grinning at her. "Every rabbit has a name, right? I'm sure you do." 

"Fern, okay?" she snapped. "Now leave me alone." 

"How can we be friends if I leave you alone?" Basil mused, scratching his neck. He lowered his head and started eating the grass. 

"Just go. I'll talk to you later," Fern added, hoping that this tiny lie would make him leave her. 

Basil lifted his head and shrugged. "If you wish then, Fern. By the way, I want to tell you you're the prettiest doe I saw in this place. And I ain't fibbing." Giving a gentle smile, he hopped away, leaving Fern stunned and totally confused. 

*** 

Clover listened intently as Ghost's words zoomed around his mind, making him reel a bit. He didn't quite get the plan, although he understood a bit of it. He shook himself, giving Ghost a quiet nod. "So, that's it," he said, half-heartedly as he clawed at his neck with a front paw and yawned. 

"Yes," Ghost stated. 

"It's good enough," Clover said. Then, he shrugged. "I guess." He blinked, before remembering something he had meant to tell the fellow Chief. "Wait a minute…uh, I was supposed to tell this to you, Spirit-rah." 

Ghost glared at him, but he said nothing. 

"Oh, it was Ghost, was it?" the old rabbit suddenly said, giving a hearty chuckle. He slapped the gray rabbit's back with a heavy paw, making Ghost cough frantically. "Anyhow, lad, I left my Captain of the Owsla in charge of the warren and three quarters of the Owsla. You _ did_ realize that this _hrair_ rabbits I brought was only a quarter of the Owsla, didn't you?" he added, proudly. 

"…" Ghost could not think of anything to say. Not that he had been much of a talker, anyway. 

"Ah! Where was I? Oh. Well, I haven't had the luck you had in having three Captains of the Owsla. The truth is, all the Captains you see here are lesser Captains. So," he paused, giving a deep breath. "Your Captains are free to command them during our attack." 

Ghost shrugged and looked over at the three Captains spread out a few feet in front of him. "Now that you mention it," Ghost said, flicking his right ear. "I want to tell you the reasons on why I have three, and not one, Captains for the Owsla." He waited to see the reaction on the rabbit's faces, and after making sure they were interested, he continued. "We have a small Owsla, that is true, but in less than a year we'll be flooded by rabbits. Now, Captain Coltsfoot." He looked at the lop-eared rabbit. "You will be handling the patrols, and sentries." He turned to Bark. "And Captain Bark will be responsible for keeping order in the warren." Then, he glanced at Dog's-Tail. "And Captain Dog's-Tail will be training them, new and old officers alike." He flicked an ear once more. "Of course, during our attack, this will all be of no effect." 

"So the meeting's ended, then?" Burnet asked. He was lying down a few feet away from Ghost, yawning for all he was worth. Owsla meetings. Talk about boring stuff. 

Ghost nodded. "Yes." 

The small buck stood up, but before he could prance away like he was planning to do, Agrimony appeared, climbing down the slope and towards the stream, where they were having the meeting. He gulped and sat down in front of Ghost. "Sir!" he exclaimed. "Willow wishes to see you, sir!" 

The gray rabbit finished scratching his ear. He stood up and overtook Burnet up the slope, down the slope once more, and towards the direction of a nearby hole. He plunged into the darkness, his whiskers, nose, and all that was left of his eyesight guiding him around the familiar runs. 

He went in deeper and stopped in front of his burrow. He hadn't even ventured inside when the smell told him the whole story. He gave a quiet smile as he peered inside. 

Willow was lying on her side. Two hairless things were curled against her, giving the quiet, innocent murmurs that only kittens can give. Ghost sat down, admiring the helpless things for a while. Willow looked at him, realizing how proud he was of the two new arrivals in his family. 

Finally, after he had withdrawn from the seemingly trance-like stage of his, he looked at Willow and whispered, quietly, "A buck and a doe." It wasn't a question. 

Willow nodded, bending her head over the nearer one and giving it a gentle lick along the neck. The kitten squirmed. 

"What do you call them?" he asked. He wasn't one who troubled himself on naming things, so he decided to leave it all to her. After all, one name was as good as the other. 

His mate gave a gentle smile, a smile so gentle it pierced through his soul and almost made him want to smile again, but he did not do it as he waited for her answer patiently. 

"Autumn," she said, her ears folded back against her head. "And Nightshade." 

He nodded, dismally, before hopping closer to give each kitten a quiet nuzzle. 

Outside, the brown leaves from the trees started to fall. It was early autumn. 


	34. Hutch Rabbits, Owsla Rabbits

**34 – Hutch Rabbits, Owsla Rabbits **

Ghost gave a wide yawn, his face grim even with the peaceful morning. He was watching Dog's-Tail give fighting lessons to several Inléthlay bucks, and he was doing a good job of it, too. He was starting to give another yawn when something plopped onto his back. 

He turned around, his face showing a hidden smirk. A grayish-brown kitten was sitting on top of him. The kitten sneezed, gave him a wide grin, then hopped off him to continue romping about the leaves that were strewn across the grass. 

Another kitten popped out, seemingly hidden beside him. The kitten was gray, with lovely hazel eyes. It gave a tiny grunt before clambering on top of Ghost and overtaking its feisty littermate. 

"You'll get hurt," Ghost warned them, his voice sounding non-too strict. He placed a paw over the first kitten and pulled it close towards him. "Nightshade. Don't hurt your sister." 

"Te' tarted 'tit," the kitten groaned, stamping his foot on the ground. 

"You did!" the other retorted hotly. Autumn pounced on Ghost's outstretched front leg and nuzzled it. "Didn't he, Dad?" 

Ghost grunted. He wasn't sure who started it, anyway. They've been romping around him for the past hour and he had lost track. "Perhaps," he answered, grimly. 

"See? See?" Autumn said, jumping on Nightshade. 

"I didn't!" Nightshade answered back, cuffing her away from him. 

"Did too!" 

"Did not!" 

"Did too!" 

"DID NOT!" 

"DID TOO!" 

"Oh Frith in the heavens!" a dark buck exclaimed. He hopped towards Ghost and the two kittens and heaved a big sigh. "With all your bickering, no wonder my ears are ringing!" He sighed once more and turned to Ghost, his face perplexed. "How in Frith's name do you manage this? They argue worse then Burnet and Bark." 

"You were worse," Ghost muttered, turning away before he could give out a grin, which he didn't want to do. 

"Oh, I WAS NOT!" Timothy growled playfully. 

"Teth you wewe," Nightshade said, hopping towards him and looking him in the eye. 

The young buck was about to say something, but Nightshade had tackled him down the ground. Autumn did the same. 

"Ah, they're killing me!" Timothy wailed, playfully batting Nightshade away. "Oh Frith, they're killing me! Why couldn't you be stricter to them?" He asked, glancing up at Ghost while lying on his back, trying helplessly to prevent his younger siblings from ramming unto him. 

Ghost grunted once more. "You're my heir." He yawned. "Besides, they're perfectly nice. You had to go strangle every rabbit you can, and you still do." He didn't have a humorous ring to his tone, but Timothy knew better as he gave a wide grin at his father, and batted the older rabbit with both paws. 

*** 

Poppy assumed a position beside an Inléthlay buck, both rabbits posted as sentries near around the bottom of the hill. Ever since Ghost had heard of the attack by the weasel, he took advantage of the current number of Owsla officers residing in the warren and increased the warren's defenses by tenfold. Not even the Black Rabbit of Inlé could sneak into the place so easily. 

He yawned, glancing at the buck beside him. The rabbit noticed him for the first time and asked, "You from Primrose-rah?" 

Poppy shrugged. "Mebbe," he answered, simply. 

The rabbit nodded. "My name's Mallow." 

"Poppy," he answered, still indifferent. 

Mallow yawned. "Well, what do you think about this allied warren's idea? I think it's brilliant. Clover says that once we defeat Quieflain we'll have the land all to ourselves. Personally, I think we should drive out all of the Quieflain residents and place in some of our rabbits there. That way, we'll have a better time." 

Poppy shrugged once more, unsure of what to say. Finally, he decided with, "Dun' really care. Me's glad we'd be able to tear some rabbit's pelt. S'long time since me's done anythin' like 'dat." He blinked as he saw a shadow pass across the ground. 

He looked up, despite this being an unusual act for a rabbit. There was a blood-chilling cry as a hawk passed by them, apparently looking for prey. 

"Is hawk," Poppy said, stamping his foot on the ground and snorting. "We'll probly' have time to call 'em all. Hey! Yew! Get a-movin' fore' 'dat thing gets us!" He shoved Mallow roughly by a paw. "Get on!" 

"Alright, alright, no need to be so rough," Mallow groaned. He hopped across the hill, hoping to reach there in time. 

Poppy watched as the rabbit headed up before looking around the area, trying to see whether anyone, sentries and ordinary citizens alike, were around and unaware of the dangers. He spotted a lone rabbit silflaying, and knew right away who it was. With the black and white coat, who else could he be? 

"'Ey!" he screamed, lolloping towards Basil. The hutch rabbit heard him instantly and lifted his head towards his direction. "Hey!" he screamed again, tripping on an outstretched rock. Gathering himself up, he exclaimed, "Frith in a wire, what's you doin' dere, lad? _Embleer_ Frith, yew's gonna be sorry for dis'!" 

Basil did not understand him. Not only was Poppy one of the most distorted of talkers, but he did not know there was any cause of panic. He was still trying to think when something sharp slashed across his back, sending him squealing. 

He squealed, rolling around the ground as he tried to shove at his unknown attacker. Being unused to fighting, he didn't have much of a choice. He felt something jab through his leg and he squealed once more, the pain being too much for him to handle. 

He was starting to grow unconscious, but he before he managed to pass out, he saw something blurry ram towards his attacker, and heard a dozen screams and cusses. Then, he dropped down. 

*** 

When he regained his senses, he faintly heard a yelling. He shook his head as he tried to listen to it, his head reeling with pain, but he managed to realize that it was a conversation. 

"Dammit," he heard someone cry. "Yew really shouldn't be bringin' dose 'utch rabbits 'ere. Me's almost got me self killed dere'. Whatcha think ya were thinkin'?" 

"Poppy," came a serious reply. "You are dismissed." 

"Ah, dat's all dis' Chiefs say, 'dey dunna wanna talk 'bout somethin', they make ya leave, yadda." 

"Poppy." 

"WHAT?" 

"I said leave." 

"Fine, s'long as ya think 'bout what I just told yew." 

Basil groaned, as his sight and sense of smell slowly returned to him. Even in the dark burrow, he could see Daisy and Moss inside, licking his wounds. He breathed in. "Hey gals," he said, flicking his ears. 

"You almost didn't make it," Moss said. 

"What happened?" Basil asked. He still couldn't recollect what had happened earlier. The last he could remember was seeing two brown figures over, and that was before he could pass out. He shrugged. 

Moss stopped licking him, her lips soaked with blood. "Poppy saved you," she said, looking over at the quiet Daisy. "And not very happy about it, too. He's been proposing to send us away from here." 

"Why?" Basil gasped. 

Moss shook her head. "He said, we're weak, disgrace to the rabbit kind. I'm afraid he'll succeed, though." 

"No he won't," came a voice, just outside of the burrow. 

Moss turned to the direction, her face grim. "How can you be so sure of that, Coltsfoot?" 

Coltsfoot stepped inside the burrow and looked at Basil. "You feeling better now, lad?" he asked. At Basil's slight nod, he continued, "The Chief just won't send you ones away. Although Poppy's right, about you being a liability, there's no way the Chief will do that. For one thing, I'm from a hutch rabbit too, although I _am_ born in the wild, and I can whip Poppy any day." 

"And the other thing?" Moss asked, looking at her mate skeptically. 

Coltsfoot shrugged. "The thing is, if it wasn't for Moss, he'd never reached this so-called farm. And if Basil here haven't recounted that story, according to him, he wouldn't have thought out a plan." He scratched his neck. "Besides, he isn't that kind of guy. He'll threaten you, he'll mock you, heck, you'll even think he might be plotting to kill you, but he's won't send you away if you've been good help to him. It's one of those honor type of things." 

Basil sighed. "Well, I do hope…really, I hope…that you're saying the truth. Cause I sure don't want to go away from here. Seen that Fern doe?" 

Coltsfoot's jaw almost dropped to the ground. He stared at Basil oddly, his voice faltering. After a couple of minutes of blinking, he finally managed to mutter out, "You…Fern?" He gasped. "You actually _ like _that doe? Frithrah!" 

*** 

"Stop moping," Zen blurted out, extremely annoyed. "Just because Ghost wouldn't listen to you doesn't mean he's a bad Chief." 

"Ye's got no idea what yer talkin' bout," grumbled Poppy. He was about to say something more, but suddenly saw Ghost walking towards them. He quickly looked up at the smaller rabbit and asked, in an angry voice, "So, yew thought 'bout what me's just told ya?" 

Ghost sighed. "You don't understand. No, we can't send them away from here." He gave Poppy a very sharp look. "I suggest that you get back to your post. This is not your day off." 

Poppy growled, but not directly at him. "Dunno what's becomin' o' me, stayin' dis bloody warren. Ye's all stupid. Me ain't wastin' my time here no more." 

Zen growled, holding him back with one paw. "Another one of your spur of the moment decisions, huh Poppy? Where do you think you're going?" 

"Shuddup…lemme go." Poppy shoved her paw with his, giving her an angry snort. He looked back at Ghost and looked the rabbit straight in the eyes. "Shows how bad a Chief yew's are." 

Ghost did not seem affected by his words. "Leave if you wish," he said, hopping away. "It's your life." 

Poppy spurted out a string of curses, then started tearing the ground apart with his paws. After this, he turned away, steaming. 

"You're not really thinking of leaving, are you?" Zen called to him. 

He did not answer. He was too busy cursing the first rabbits he came across. 

*** 

The huge rabbit made his way across the fields, snorting and cursing every step of the way. No one else had tried to stop him, which was pretty good, in his point of view. He stopped, eyeing the hill that was already some distance away, before continuing on. 

He hadn't gone very far before he realized he was being followed. His lips suddenly pulled back by instinct, and he whirled around, his ears laid flat against his head. And he growled as menacingly as he could, his eyes smoldering. 

"Don't hurt me…" came the pitiful reply. As he laid eyes on it, he saw that it was one of the hutch rabbits. He ceased his growling, but his lips remained in the same position. 

"What," he said. "Yew doin', followin' me like dat?" 

"Were are you going?" the rabbit asked. 

Poppy cuffed the ground angrily. "S'all yer fault, yew pathetic 'xcuse for a rabbit…and all yer Chief's fault…weak warren. I ain't stayin' dere no more, if dat's whatcha mean." He turned around. "Me's leavin' for some better warren. If yew don't wanna get killed outta here ye's better get goin' back," he added, coldly. 

"It's not safe here," the rabbit said, hopping close to him. "I'm sorry if…" 

"Shuddup, yew's pathetic 'nuff to be asking for any 'pologies. Ain't gonna do yew no good." He made a step forward. 

The hutch rabbit followed him, gingerly. When he turned around at her again, she repeated, "It's not safe. I'm coming along." 

Poppy growled. "Yew's just gonna be trouble for me. Ain't no use comin' long." 

"But," the rabbit protested. 

"But what?" 

"Elil. If they come…" 

Snorting, Poppy continued to hop on forward. She rubbed her face for a moment before hopping of after him, her face a mix of confusion and concern. 

They hopped on in silence, as if oblivious of each other. Poppy finally stopped, his face serious as he turned at her again. "What if elil come?" he asked. It was as if the whole way he had been thinking of the matter and had only proceeded to ask about it just now. 

The doe shook her head. "You say that we're helpless. If so, the _elil_ will go after me first. You'll be safe." 

Poppy groaned. "S'no use. Me ain't gonna be killed by _elil_ if me's can 'elp it. Yew's wastin' yer time, _marli_." Still, even with his harsh words, he could not prevent his face from showing signs of amazement. Of all the selfless things in the world… 

They continued on again, hardly talking to each other, both thinking deeply. At least, Poppy was. He couldn't understand why this doe was following him. First he insults them, and now here she was, proclaiming he'll be safer if she's around. Safer because she'll be the one in danger. He snorted, at the idea. It was ridiculous, really. Why would the doe do that for him? She haven't even known him before! She probably didn't even remember his name, when it comes to that. 

He stopped and groomed his paws confidently, hardly aware that there was danger looming just right above him. 

It happened so fast, he could not recollect it later on. He suddenly felt himself being shoved across the ground. His face slammed across the soft turf. Angrily, he turned around to see what had just happened. 

The doe was lying on her side, breathing quickly, her eyes blinking just as rapidly. "What 'appened?" he asked, hopping towards her. 

She did not answer, but she did not need to. Poppy saw that one of her hind legs was trapped beneath a heavy branch. He hopped closer, examining it. The edge of the branch was flat, and reeked of man. It had been sawn off. A strip of bark across it showed that it had only been partly sawn…it falling down was all caused by gravity. 

"Why'd yew…" Poppy started, unsure of what to say. "Why'd ya save me?" He nudged her with his nose. 

She shivered. "Told you wouldn't be…safe…" she stuttered. 

Poppy was touched. Even big, rough rabbits like him could be, too. He knew he couldn't just leave her here. Not after what she did. He placed both his paws over the branch. Gritting his teeth, he used all his weight to shove it off her. 

He succeeded, mainly because of his superior strength. She squealed as the branch rolled off her leg. 

When he was sure that she was free, he went towards her and tentatively licked the injured limb. It was not wounded, but appeared to be broken. He growled, but not at her. Rather, he was angry at the situation. 

Grasping her tightly by the nape of the neck, he dragged her back the way they came from. 

*** 

Zen was on post that night, yawning. She didn't like being a sentry during this time of the day, but she had no choice. She was glad for the protection of the tree above her. It provided her a sense of security. 

She saw a movement coming towards her, and she bounced up, her nose shutting in and out as she tried to determine whether it was _elil_ or not. Before she could react any further, she saw two long ears. 

"Poppy?" she called out to the fellow officer. "I thought you were gone," she added. She was going to ask more, but saw the limp brown and white doe hanging down his jaws. 

Saying nothing more, she abandoned her post and assisted them towards the nearest empty burrow. 


	35. Preperations: Last Night On Primrosrah

35** – Preparations: Last Night on Primrose-rah **

"A rabbit spy?" Ghost asked, totally disturbed by Burnet's preposition. "For what?" He looked at the small buck squarely, totally confused. 

Burnet nibbled the grass for a bit before lifting his head and answering, "How do you expect to save the rabbits you want to save if they don't know what you're going to do?" He swallowed. "In truth, if you attack them like this, they'll all die…Owsla and innocent rabbits alike." He sat up, licking his snout. "A spy." 

Ghost was dumbfounded. He hadn't totally realized what a full-fledged attack would do without first making sure that the rabbits would be safe. He looked at the grass, totally confused. "Who'll…how'll…" he muttered. His hind leg went up as he started to scratch at his ear. 

"I'll go." 

He looked around to see who it was. "Timothy?" he asked. 

"Yeah, sure," Timothy answered, hopping close to them. He wiggled his nose. "I'll go. I'm not taking part in any of this, am I? And you always say I'm the heir. If so, I should be in this just like all of you. I'll go." 

Ghost was not very happy with this. He showed this plainly when he said, "It's too…dangerous." 

"If I am careful," Timothy told him, not removing his gaze from him. "If I'm careful…it won't be." 

Ghost was still doubtful. He was thinking deeply when Dog's-Tail's voice interrupted him. 

"Let the lad go," Dog's-Tail piped up. He had been listening to the conversation the whole time, and so were Clover and Coltsfoot, and a couple of Inléthlay lesser Captains. "You trust him, don't you? Then let him go." He sounded convincing. 

"Father?" Timothy asked, pleadingly. "Please?" 

Ghost sighed. He hadn't raised Timothy to give up, or be a coward, and he knew this was essentially a good time to see if Timothy was as good an heir as he thought he was. However, if he agreed, he'll be putting the whole attack behind Timothy's shoulders, and if the rabbit failed, they'll all fail. 

Did he trust him enough to put the warren in this too big a risk? 

He looked straight at Timothy. And knew that second that he could. 

He could trust him. 

Frith help him if he could not. 

Slowly, he nodded. "Fine," he said, sighing deeply. "But you know how big a responsibility this is." 

Timothy gave him his assurance. "Yes," he answered, giving a warm smile. "I know." 

*** 

It was night. Ghost was walking across the now-familiar runs and passageways of his warren, of Primrose-rah. He was thinking. Tomorrow, they would set off to carry out their plans to take over Quieflain. There was a big chance he could die during this battle, and so would many rabbits, but that was a risk he was willing to take. He was never afraid of death. He had seen too much of it to ever be afraid of it himself. But if he died, he knew he was going to make sure the attack succeeds, no matter what.

He stopped, glancing up as he recognized where he was. He was standing outside the entrance to his burrow. Frith, he would be gone for days, and he knew he was going to miss this place. It had been his home the past few seasons.

He gingerly stepped inside as noiselessly as possible. But even then, he saw, even in the dark, a pair of hazel brown eyes, gazing at him softly. He stared at them for a few moments, realizing that there was no way he should die. He…shouldn't die… 

_Don't. _ He thought, walking towards her and lying down on the empty space beside her, his eyes still locked into hers. He unwillingly gazed away. _Don't…look at me like that, Willow…you're making me want to stay… _

"Rah?" she asked. "Must you really…go?"

He nodded, avoiding her eyes before he decides to postpone the attack all for the sake of one doe…one doe…

"You might die…out there," Willow said in a quiet tone. She turned away from him and looked at the two kittens snuggled up against her belly, sleeping and dreaming silently.

"Go to sleep," he told her coldly, placing his head down on his forelegs.

She nodded, hardly hurt by what he just said, for fear on what might happen to him during that attack was all that was in her thoughts. She leaned against him and tried to sleep, but she could not…

Thoughts of the rabbits returning home, their numbers slashed in half, the remaining wounded and sick…

_"He's dead…" _

_"He died in the battle…" _

Thoughts of a rabbit leaping at Ghost, pinning him down the ground and slashing the life out of him came into her….

_"He's dead…" _

_"He was killed…" _

She shuddered, shutting her eyes tightly as she tried to stop thinking, tried to stop worrying, but no matter what she did, no matter how much she tried, she could not drive the thoughts out of her mind. They engulfed her, until she trembled in fear, her head burrowing against the thick fur around his neck.

And then she heard his heartbeat, pounding steadily against her ears. His heartbeat…

He was still alive…he isn't dead yet…he isn't dead…

His heartbeat went on, beating rhythmically, until she almost memorized its pattern. _Thud…thud…thud thud… _

And then she realized that her worries were gone. They had drowned in his heart's pounding, leaving only the thought that he was still alive, this night. Her fears and worries were all washed off, and slowly she felt herself dropping off to sleep. Her ears drooped down to her side, one of them landing softly on Ghost's back.

But before she could fully lost consciousness, she heard his voice, in his same, almost monotonous tone, but with a hint of warmth in it.

"I promise I'm coming back."


	36. Trouble Along The Way

**36 – Trouble Along the Way **

It was early morning, and the land was but yet touched with Frith's rays, and the sky was deep violet in color. But even then, the rabbits were all busy, doing last preparations before the troops head off for the war they were going to proclaim against Quieflain.

Ghost surveyed the army with an air of interest. Dog's-Tail had done a good job into keeping them in shape the past few weeks. They were all sleek and healthy, and he knew well that they wouldn't go down so easily. He nodded, glad of this fact.

He turned, looking at his Captains discussing some interesting things with Inléthlay's lesser Captains. Bark had been assigned for the initial attack on Quieflain itself, while Coltsfoot and Dog's-Tail were going after Quieflain's territory in Forest. Clover was staying behind to watch the remaining rabbits. Ghost, on the other hand, was to bring down the plan he had been devising that would help them in this mission. 

He paused, his ears standing tall as he realized that they were ready. He gave the Captains a steady nod, and at this they led the Owsla off. 

Ghost hopped towards Timothy, giving the buck a serious look. "It all depends on you," he told him. 

"I'll make you proud," Timothy answered, sniffing noses with him. He gave a smile before hopping off after the others. 

Ghost watched them for a moment, then he turned to go on his own way. 

"Be careful!" someone called. He turned his head around. Willow was sitting in front of a hole, gazing at him. 

He nodded. 

She smiled. "I'll be waiting here." 

*** 

The Owsla had separated into groups, all of them taking different directions, but they all knew, more or less, that they would end up in the same destination. Ghost went alone. He haven't the mind to have some chattering nonsense with him, and with all the pain he went through last time, bringing in Huckleberry along (and two rabbits like her, nonetheless), he wasn't very eager to bring anyone at all.

He stopped, his body tense with alertness, before sitting down to inspect the area. If he remembered right, he was a few miles away from Primrose-rah. He sniffed the air. Yes, he was right. He stayed there for a while to gather his breath, scratch his ears, and eat a couple of bites, then he was on his way again. 

A bit later, he found a tiny brook running along the fields, and he hopped towards it and bent down, his tongue delicately lapping the cool water. He swallowed, looking at a small, brown leaf that was spinning around the surface, before sitting down and wiping his muzzle, a few droplets of water sticking to it. He sighed. 

A slight movement up north caught his attention. He spun around, his nose twitching wildly. Unlike most rabbits, he hadn't had the urge to quickly bolt at everything. He usually made certain of the danger first. 

He saw a rabbit, who had already stopped to look at him as well. He stood up on his hind legs, focusing on the newcomer just as the newcomer was focusing on him. 

The two stayed there like that for about a minute, but finally, Ghost decided that he might be able to gain something if he met this rabbit. Placing his weight back on his fore paws, he padded towards the rabbit, slightly tense. It was only when he was a meter away that he recognized him. 

It had been seasons, but he still knew who he was, and only after a slight pause, he said, in a voice of mixed surprise and his usual, old aloofness, "Bran." 

"Ghost," the other said in a similar tone. The spotted rabbit hopped around him for a moment, as if trying to make sure that he was really him, before repeating it. "Ghost." 

"What brings you here?" Bran quickly added, slightly annoyed. He hopped towards the brook, his back against the gray rabbit, as he lapped up a drink. 

Ghost shook his head. He wasn't about to give away precious information to some stranger. Sure, Bran wasn't _really_ a stranger, but it was as near to that as it could get. He gave a slight snort, ignoring the rabbit's question. 

Bran lifted his head up and wiped his nose. "I'm on patrol, if you have the same question," he said, sitting down on his haunches and looking at Ghost squarely in the eye. "Your warren around here somewhere?" 

"Bit far," he answered aloofly, gazing down the ground. 

Bran growled. "Least you can do is look at me," he grumbled, shaking his head in irritation. Finally, out louder, he asked, "How's Willow? And Timothy?" 

"Well," Ghost answered back in a non-too-pleased voice. "Timothy's grown up," he added, a bit proudly. 

"Yeah, I knew he was too good to be destroyed by _elil_," Bran muttered. He looked up, gazing at the fields, as if looking out for something. He waited for a while, and sure enough, a few rabbits appeared. 

Ghost was stricken in panic. He never really regarded Bran as much of a threat, but the presence of a few officers, along with a rabbit he had fought with before, was really too much. He growled under his breath as he turned to Bran. "What is the meaning of this?" he hissed. 

"Easy," Bran told him, rolling his eyes. "I told you I was on patrol. What do you expect, alone?" He gave a quick snort. "Calm down. I ain't attacking you now. You could kill someone." 

Ghost did calm down, but the sudden alarm had reminded him that he had things to take care of, and he hadn't had the time to be fooling around. He stood up. "I better be going, anyway," he said, starting to hop away. 

"You going north?" Bran called to him. 

Ghost stopped and looked at him, perplexed. "Why?" he asked. 

"We're going north too," he told him, yawning. "If you're headed that direction you might as well come with us." Suddenly realizing he was getting a bit soft, he quickly added, "Well, we could use you as well. I know how good a fighter you might be and there's still _ elil_ around." 

Ghost realized the wisdom in this, as soon as it was said. Looking around for a moment, he shrugged and stated, "Fine." 

Bran thumped his leg one time. "Okay lads! Get your bloody drink over with quickly! We ain't stopping here 'till we're stripped of our pelts, you know! Hey you there, Nut! You heard me!" 

When the rabbits have clustered around, he limped off. Ghost followed him, keeping an eye out for the officers just as well as he did the trail. He still didn't trust them. What with Bran and all. 

*** 

The rabbits haven't reached either of their destinations three hours later, and the long, tedious trekking have been quite hard on all of them. Bran, wishing his patrol to be in particularly good health, had instructed them to stop and rest for as long as they wish, although not very long, he had quickly added, or else they'd be whipped by their Chief. Ghost wasn't very pleased with the idea. He was hoping to reach the farm before the end of the day, and realized now that this would be delaying his mission. Nevertheless, he decided he could rest a bit. His legs were tired and he was also very much hungry. 

They sought shelter near a fallen, rotten log, eating the coarse, dry grass and making the best of it as they could. The officers shared a few stories here and there, and Ghost, finally getting tired of them, decided to isolate himself, as usual. He hopped a few meters away and settled there, deep in thoughts. 

A bit later, he realized that Bran was eating beside him. He flicked his ear, not really minding the quiet company. It was in fact, quite a pain when Bran suddenly spoke up. "So, how's it the past few seasons?" 

He shrugged, unused to telling things like these. "It's okay," he said, trying to make the best out of the two little words. 

Bran snorted, giving Ghost a sharp glance. "Ha! That's the best you can do, huh?" he asked, making Ghost grind the grass harder than before. Bran finally calmed down. "Mine's okay, as well. I got promoted to a lesser Captain just a few weeks ago." 

"Thought you didn't have a warren," Ghost told him, making Bran scratch his neck. 

The rabbit yawned, thoughtfully. "Well," he said, after finishing his yawning. "I had one, actually. I was on some sort of training so I couldn't tell you." He flicked his ears. "Anyhow, I've got a great warren." He smiled, wryly, as if very proud of this warren of his. "Been there all my life. This officer of one warren rescued me when I was young and had his doe raise me. Been pretty much an officer all my life." 

"With that limp?" Ghost asked, a bit interested in Bran's case. Why would a limp rabbit make it in the Owsla? 

Bran shrugged. "I've had it since I was young. I'm used to it. Not very much of a handicap, really." He shook the leg, just to show Ghost. "I can walk, fight, hop, run, and do anything a normal rabbit do with it. Except scratch." 

Ghost shrugged. 

"Well, I recently learned that I was supposed to be killed when I was younger," Bran continued, swallowing the bits of fiber in his mouth. "That's why he saved me. Hear that? Pretty much like your policy, huh?" 

He had Ghost's full attention by now, but earned his maximum when he added, "Primrose, was it? Yeah, he said that was my grandfather's name. My present Chief's his brother." 

Shock was gurgling through Ghost then, so much shock he was not only speechless, he also had no idea what he was going to do next. He didn't show this much through his expressions…his face still covered by that blank, aloof mask…but he was pretty much as surprised as anybody would. 

There was a sudden squeal of terror from the rabbits. Replacing his shock came complete alertness, for he saw something move along the grass. Something he hadn't seen before, but had learned something about. 

A snake. 

It was flinging itself towards the rabbits, hissing, its mouth open and its tongue vibrating as it slithered along the ground, terrifying everyone along the way. Even Bran seemed terrified. Like the others, he haven't seen a snake before and he really had little to no idea as to what he was to do. 

"Quick!" Ghost suddenly yelled at the panic-stricken rabbits, hopping towards them while he kept an eye out at the long, scaly creature. "Flee!" 

At the exact moment, he lunged towards the snake, unaware of any dangers he was facing at the moment. He rolled across the snake's elongated body and avoided its fangs just in time. Cursing out loud, he ran off, not very sure of the direction to go, only knowing that he had to lead this thing away from them… 

Why? 

The question grappled him the moment a rushing river came within sight. These rabbits weren't his responsibility. Heck, they were Bran's, and Bran wasn't even his friend. He shouldn't be risking his life for them. 

Guess he took the edge of responsibility a little bit too far this time. Well, he knew there was time for remorse later. Right now all he had to do was escape this monster unscathed. 

Which was a little too hard since the snake had lunged for him, menacing jaws open out wide, seeking his flesh. 

He leaped towards the river. He lost sight of the snake, but that wasn't what trouble him at the moment. Right now, he was completely submerged, water rushing into his lungs, blocking his sight and mostly his senses. He could swim, but the river was far too swift. He kicked angrily, trying to gain hold of something…anything…that could save him. 

He kicked, almost in panic, but then realized that he was no longer being swept off. He felt himself being dragged out of the water, and he landed down the dry bank, coughing and spluttering for all he was worth. 

He looked up, his pulse racing. It was Bran. 

His brother. 

He cringed at the thought, but there was no denying it. Bran was truly his brother. He was also his enemy. 

An Owsla, from Quieflain. 

Still weak, he managed to get up and looked at Bran, aware that this was perhaps the last time he was going to look at the rabbit as some sort of an ally, or a non-threat. Now he was an enemy. He may not know it yet, but Ghost knew it. Bran was now his enemy. 

He quickly abandoned the surprised rabbits. He had to get away from here. Into that farm. 

And he thought that things were getting stranger every second. 


	37. A Spy In His Own Home

**37 – A Spy in His Own Home **

The dark brown rabbit was tense, very much tense, and fear was grappling his soul every second he walked. But this was no time to be afraid, the four-month-old told himself. No, he shouldn't be. Everything was going to be okay, if only things went along smoothly, according to what they have planned…

He stopped.

But don't things _don't_ turn out the way they're planned?

He gulped. But if that was right, there was no backing down now. He approached a huge, scarred sentry, and sat down in front of him, while quickly saying, "Is this…a warren?"

The sentry looked at him with narrowed eyes, unused to seeing strange, young rabbits pop out of nowhere and ask him whether this was this or not. But he shrugged. "Yes," he replied, sniffing Timothy's head. "Why?"

"I came from another warren," Timothy said, gulping back all his fears as he concentrated on the present task. "I was having a thin time…and decided to leave." Well, that went pretty smoothly…

The sentry inspected him cautiously. Well, the buck was thin, so he might be speaking the truth, and he had a few wounds, which he assumed to be from some sort of fight. Timothy was glad that he had thought of not eating much ever since he learned he was going to be a spy, and was also immensely happy that Bark had thought of inflicting those wounds on him. Dear old Captain Bark. Where would he be now if it wasn't for him?

The sentry coughed, driving him back to his present mind. He looked at the rabbit expectantly, and the sentry finally said, "We're full of rabbits right now. You'll be better off somewhere than in a full warren, if you left because of that in the first place."

Glitch number one.

Who said he could trust Burnet, anyway? It was the Chief's adviser who told him all the fibs he were to tell, and now here he was. He quickly thought the situation over, then finally said, "Can I stay for a few days, then, to rest and regain my health?"

"What's in it for us?" the sentry asked him, suspiciously.

He pondered for a few more seconds. "Well," he said, glancing here and there, trying to think up of a good reason. Finally, all he could come up was, quite lamely, "Um…for the goodwill of us rabbits?"

The sentry looked at him sharply for a few more seconds, then broke into a wide grin. "Never heard much sense for a rabbit like you these days. Come on, _hlessi_, you can stay here for a few days. Four days, maximum. Don't go poking your head around the whole warren, or you'll get killed. I'll show you to some burrow."

He brought the rabbit down the warren through the runs, passing by sick-looking rabbits in various burrows, a couple of dead ones in another. Timothy had visualized how bad things were here, according to Dog's-Tail's story, but he had never realized it was _this_ bad.

When he thought that the seemingly endless runs would never end, the sentry pointed to a half-occupied burrow. "You can stay there for a while," he said, roughly. "If you're staying here for less than four days you got to learn the rules. First off, you're not allowed out of this area unless on _silflay_ times. The inside sentries will assure you to that. Second off, don't cause any trouble. And third, well…that's basically all of that." Tipping his head forward, he hopped away.

Timothy shrugged. He hopped towards his assigned burrow. It was pretty small, and there was only one occupant, who now had eyes trailed on him. He gave a wary smile, aware that he might be attacked, and said in a faint, cheerful voice, "Hi there."

To his surprise, the burrow's occupant greeted him warmly as well. "Well hello there."

He crouched down inside the small burrow, looking at the rabbit with him. It was a buck, he could clearly sense it. Timothy yawned, for the sake of yawning itself, and he said, "I'm a _hlessi_. Staying here for quite a while."

The rabbit shrugged. "I'm a permanent rabbit, you might say," he said, half-jokingly. He gave a deep sigh. "You look healthy, for a _hlessi_."

Timothy was quite surprised by this. The sentry haven't noticed, even in bright light. How could this one rabbit have known?

He shrugged. "Perhaps," he said, lamely. He wasn't very good in coming up with excuses. Heck, that was what got him into trouble when he was younger. He should probably have asked Nightshade to teach him. Now _that_ kitten was a master in excuses. Last day, he was found doing some sort of malicious act (cuffing unsuspecting rabbits, the first time he had done so). Willow had talked the situation out with him and he came out with a very convincing excuse, and an amusing one, to boot. He gave a soft smile as he reminded himself that he should get back there soon. He was already starting to miss his family.

He yawned, thinking. He had never done this much thinking before and it actually scared him. He stared at the wall, then quickly turned to the other rabbit and asked, "Have you heard of Forest?" It wasn't the very wisest of questions. He shouldn't have rushed it.

But he was to be forgiven for this little error, for now, since the rabbit had answered, in a voice that didn't seem to threatening to him, "This is Forest. Only, under Quieflain's rule. Why?"

He smiled a little, relieved that the rabbit did not seem too suspicious. Wishing to press the issue further, forgetting all possible consequences, he asked, "So, I've heard from somewhere that Forest was invaded by this Quieflain."

The rabbit nodded. "Yep. Invaded all right. Almost wiped out." He sniffled.

"Are there…any remaining rabbits…left?" Timothy continued the questioning. It was better now, then never at all.

There was a sudden movement at the entrance. Both rabbits looked up and saw the sentry that had brought Timothy there a while ago, motioning for him to get out. "Hlessi, out of there," he called. "The Captain wishes to see you."

Cursing his bad luck under his breath, Timothy decided to follow, anyway. He was aware he was likely to get into trouble.

***

The sentry brought him outside, towards a tree where underneath it crouched a few big and heavy rabbits…rabbits who could kill him with one swipe of their claws. He gulped. It was more difficult than he imagined.

The sentry brought him in front of a fairly old rabbit, who stared at him for some time. Finally, the rabbit said, "So this is the _hlessi_?"

Timothy gulped once more, then slowly and tentatively nodded.

"Yes sir," the sentry broke in. "I explained the situation to you already."

"So you wish to stay here," the Captain said, eyeing Timothy from head to toe. "For a few days. Well lad, I'm suspicious of you," he said, frankly. "And usually, I ain't going to let rabbits I'm suspicious of stay around for long. But." He drew a deep, long breath. "You sound convincing enough, except for the fact that you said you were having a thin time." He motioned at the young buck with a paw. "If you were, how did you manage to survive? This place isn't exactly safe from _elil_, you know."

He paused, waiting for the young buck to answer. Timothy drew a deep, long breath before answering, "Luck…I guess." He shrugged. "I had a few…companions with me…and they all fell…victim." He gulped, wondering whether the Captain would buy it or not.

The Captain wiggled his nose. "Well, that may be true," he said. "If so, why are you not thin, but lean? It's autumn…fewer food, with winter coming on the way. Besides the point, you smell healthy to me."

Timothy's mind was reeling as he thought up another reason. Why did he smell healthy? He shivered. Darn. Finally, all he could come up with was, "Well…see…there was not much flay in my warren…and there was, along the way…so I guess…my body appreciated that sort of thing even if it's not the very best…what…with the season…and all."

The Captain shrugged. "I believe you, though I don't trust you much. Very well then, you may stay here for four days. You may go back to the burrow. In the meantime…" He glanced at the sentry that had brought Timothy here. "I need a talk with Officer Kingcup here about giving out decisions that only the higher-ranking leaders should be capable of."

***

Timothy entered the burrow, feeling very tired. All that thinking…and to think that he would be doing that everyday the moment he becomes Chief! At that thought, he shuddered. Now he wasn't very eager to replace his father. He vaguely prayed that Ghost live a long and healthy life.

The rabbit was still there, which wasn't very surprising, after he had learned that he was not to leave the area unless on silflay times. The rabbit glanced at him, then said, "Captain Betony seeing to you, huh?"

He nodded his reply. "I guess the officer had to ask him permission first, before they could let me stay." He sighed.

"I was wondering," the rabbit mused. "Why did you ask me about Forest, earlier on?"

Big time uh oh. Timothy groaned, stressfully. "I uh…" he stammered. He had ran out of ideas.

The rabbit lifted his ears at him. "You see, I was a member of Forest before they invaded us. Very few of us survived. How'd you know about it?"

The fear and panic fled, leaving Timothy only dumbfounded, and almost too glad with his luck. He rushed up to the rabbit, staring at him face to face, even in the dark and all (for he could smell him), and said, "I think you won't believe me…but I'm a descendant of a Forest rabbit."

The rabbit was surprised, just as he was. "You…you…" he muttered. "Who? Whose descendant…are you?"

"Your Chief's," Timothy said, his voice low.

"Primrose-rah?" the rabbit answered. He could not keep the excitement from us his voice. "Oh Frith…Frith, Frith! I've prayed night after night, that some of you may have survived, to bring help to us here. You won't believe…how many of us suffered…and we're suffering, even now. Frith! You haven't abandoned us!"

"Keep it down," Timothy said, immediately shutting the rabbit up. He scratched an ear. "Do you know where the other Forest rabbits are? My duty here is to make sure you all know about this, that we'll be helping you, so that none of you will be mistaken for Quieflain rabbits. There's going to be an attack." He paused, his voice serious. "A real attack."

"You're in luck," the rabbit answered happily. "Most of the Forest rabbits are in this area. The rest are scattered around the whole place, but we can contact them on _silflay_ times." He patted Timothy on the head with a paw. "Sir, might I ask what your name is?"

"Timothy," he answered. "My name is Timothy."

"Frith bless you, for coming here, Timothy-rah. My name is Witchhazel."


	38. Elahrairah and Rowsby Woof: Ghost's Plan...

**38 - Elahrairah and Rowsby Woof: Ghost's Plan in Motion **

The dogs' barking rang through his ears, making Ghost scratch at them, partly irritated. Couldn't these animals keep quiet? Agitated, he sniffed the area for any signs of danger. Not that the dogs already were. It was nighttime, though, and other dangers still lurked about.

When he was sure…not very sure, but mostly sure…that he was safe, at least for the moment, he hopped towards the kennels, appearing almost too confident for a rabbit. He was afraid, it was true, but he hardly showed it. He sat down in front of the barking, snarling dogs, and looked at the nearest one.

"Lovely night," he greeted in hedgerow talk. Which was surprising as he never say anything similar to rabbits themselves. The dog lunged at the wire, teeth flashing, and he jumped back in alarm. He gulped. This was harder than he thought.

He got a good look at the dog, and more fear rushed into his heart. The dog was a huge, hefty Rottweiler, sooty black in color, with tan markings covering his legs and muzzle. Drool was dripping down his mouth. He bared his teeth and barked once more, the huge, heavy tones ringing through the night sky.

Ghost looked at the other dogs. There were two of them, both appearing to be small compared to the massive Rottweiler, but still big enough to intimidate him. They were, in fact, fox terriers, white with splashes of black and brown around their head and back, with long, narrow jaws, full of sharp, white teeth.

He hopped a step forward, and the Rottweiler resumed his barking. He sighed. He shouldn't get any closer. Not until he was sure. Finally, out loud, he cried, "Hey!"

There was a chorus of barking, but finally, the Rottweiler had enough sense to stop. The male dog sat down, biting down on one of his jowls, while he asked, "Who you?"

The rabbit made another bold step, his ears flicking back and forth. "I a friend."

The dog sneered. "How?" he asked, pawing at the wire with a paw nearly as big as Ghost's own head.

"You have master?" he asked, his eyes glancing around the area, still aware of the dangers he was in. He finally looked up at the big dog, though of course, he knew better than look at him straight in the eye. It wasn't right. Looking at a strange creature straight in the eyes was a challenge. And right now, challenging this beast was the last of the things he planned to do.

The dog nodded his head, though what the rabbit sought to say was still unclear to him. "Why?" he asked, very much confused. He wasn't expecting to see a rabbit suddenly pop out, seemingly out of nowhere, and ask him questions, and he was intent to find out all about this.

Ghost scratched his ear, his nose rapidly opening and closing, almost in theme to his quick pulse. "Rabbits," he plainly answered.

The dog was still confused. "Rabbits?" he questioned. "What?"

The gray rabbit hopped about for a moment before sitting down, rubbing his forepaws on his face. "Your master have a garden, eh?" he asked, thinking of the huge one he saw earlier that afternoon, just around the corner. It was full of _flayrah_, although he knew better than to rob something from there. No. _Flayrah_ wasn't something he needed right now. What he needed was to get the message through to the dog's head.

"Yeah," the dog answered, brown eyes gleaming yellow in the dark. "Why?"

Ghost drew his paws over his head, licking them with fuss. "Rabbits," he repeated what he just said a moment ago. "They go, rob your master's garden."

"What?" the dog asked. "They rob all time."

Ghost paused, his paws still dangling from the air as he looked at the now-interested dog. "This time, they destroy your master crop. Everything, eat all, take what remain."

"I can stop them," the dog boasted, confidently. He puffed his chest to prove this.

The gray rabbit sneered at him, wiping a paw across his gray muzzle as he said so. "You can stop them? You can kill some but you can not kill all." His blue eyes twinkled. "They will destroy your master's crops before you can, stop them all." He turned around.

The dog was alarmingly changing now, for he appeared distraught at the matter. He barked his nervousness. The crops were dear to his master, and his master was dear to him, so that he cannot, at any rate, allow them to be destroyed by a bunch of stupid rabbits. He had to stop them!

"What do I do?" he asked, pacing around the kennel nervously, his nails scraping across the concrete floor of his kennel.

"I know what you do," Ghost answered. "Rabbit's warren. Destroy it."

"Destroy…warren?" the dog asked. He suddenly glanced at the rabbit. "Wait…you rabbit too?"

"I enemy of that rabbit warren," the rabbit quickly replied, stamping his foot against the soil. "I enemy. We work together, your master crop save, enemy destroyed."

The dog sat down, thinking. "But how…" he stammered, whining. "How I get away here?"

Now that he had the dog fully at his side, he hopped towards the dog's kennel and leaned against the wire. "Your master feed you at morning, don't he? Then we leave then." He glanced at the other two dogs, fully intent on their conversation. "They. Bring them. You can not destroy rabbits alone."

The Rottweiler looked at the two terriers, rolling his eyes. But he asked, anyway, "You two come along?"

The fox terriers yapped. One leaped at the side of the kennel, jumping up and down as it peered into the Rottweiler's. "Master plants save, me get rabbits kill," she said, giving a wide smile, her eyes twinkling with delight. "Let kill this one now, too."

"No," the Rottweiler warned, baring his teeth. He gazed at Ghost. "You very kind to give us this news. We kill those rabbits, we spare you, s'long as you not go to our farm and eat our crops. Understand?"

Ghost nodded. "Yes," he answered. _I understand very well…_

My, won't Elahrairah be proud?


	39. Attack on Quieflain

**39 – Attack On Quieflain **

It was pouring down hard, and Bran was soaked to the skin as he entered the nearest hole he could find. He shivered, shaking off all the water off him, before sitting down, leaning against the dirt wall, peering outside. A few rabbits were out there, all soaked to the bone, even more so than he was, and to top it all, he was sure they'll be staying there for another three hours. Being sentry sure was a tough job. He was quite glad that he was no longer one.

"Hey Captain Bran."

He looked at the rabbit appearing from the burrows, gloomily, and sighed, without saying anything. Rather, he turned back to look at the outside scene, blinking a bit when water trickled down his eyes.

"I expect that to last the whole night," the rabbit told him, indicating at the rain. He shivered, his ears twitching. "Damn, it's so cold. Pity the outside sentries. They ought to stay there until their sentry time is up and that's quite long, you know."

"I _know_," Bran mumbled, sarcastically. He felt an urge to cuff the rabbit across the head, but it was far too cold to consider doing that. Maybe tomorrow, when it's warmer. Rather, he scratched at the moist ground. "No one in my burrow?" he suddenly asked, looking at the rabbit.

The buck shrugged. "Last I saw, none." He gave a wide grin. "Anyway, I pity the poor fool who'd dare steal your burrow."

Bran stood up, shaking more water off his fur. "Well, that's a good thing," he said, a bit glad of the rabbit's compliment. Ivy wasn't the best of officers but he managed to send out the fact that Bran was a great fighter, to be feared by most. Perhaps he'll postpone that cuffing. Yawning, he limped across the run, stepping into drier grounds.

He hadn't gone far, not even near his own burrow, when a rabbit, not very big but certainly hefty enough to be considered a candidate for the Owsla, popped out from another run. He sat down.

"Where have you been?" the rabbit asked him in a not-too happy voice. "There's a meeting in the Chief's burrow."

"What for?" Bran asked, yawning again. "I'm too sleepy. Besides, why would they want a lesser Captain like me in a meeting like that? You know, they're always having those meetings with the advisers, higher leaders, and other whatnot."

"Well, it won't hurt to hear, anyway. They won't mind," the rabbit answered back. He hopped towards Bran and growled. "Come on. The others are there as well."

"Fine, Pinecone," Bran answered. He mumbled a string of curses as he unwillingly followed the rabbit through the runs.

They reached the run leading to only one burrow…the Chief's, to be precise. A long line of rabbits cluttered it, and he gave another barrage of curses, all directed to no one in particular, making some of them turn at him and mutter 'shhhs…'. Which made him madder. He sat down, groaning.

"Shut up and listen," Pinecone told him.

He unwillingly did. He could only hear vague, almost silent murmurs, but when he set his heart into it, he could make out what the leaders were saying.

"Strange rabbits? Popping out of nowhere?"

"We haven't captured any yet…none of the sentries could, and all came back wounded."

"Obviously, they have some plan in mind."

"But what plan?"

"How are we supposed to know?"

"Don't you see? We might be defeated!"

"Quiet, all of you! Now, Beet, we could be attacked, but are you certain we can be defeated?"

"But sir…!"

"Tell me. Quieflain's Owsla is huge, remember? Far bigger then any other's. If they chose to attack us, then it'll be their loss."

"He is right, Captain Beet! I cannot believe you dare doubt us this way!"

"No good a Captain like that!"

There was a blood-chilling squeal, and Bran, hardly affected by it, simply rolled his eyes. He knew who Beet was, but wasn't very attached to the rabbit. This wasn't the first time that a rabbit around here had been killed for far-fetched reasons, although it _was_ the first time he'd seen that happen to a Captain. But that was good, in his point of view. He hopped out of the way as a dead rabbit was kicked across the run.

He wrinkled his nose. Beet's throat was slashed open. He didn't even appear to have had a fighting chance. "Pity," he heard one of the lesser Captains say. "At least there's one open slot for a higher-ranking Captain."

"Eh," Bran said, flinging the stiffening body out of his way. This was a Quieflain officer's world. Dead rabbits always pop out of nowhere, and it isn't right to fear them, like most rabbits would normally do. They should get used to it, or they wouldn't be officers at all.

He waited, straining his ears as he listened to the conversation once more.

"So, that's that."

"Yes. You are dismissed. I'll be leaving for Forest on the morrow."

"WHAT?"

"What do you mean, Captain Poplar?"

"No offence, sir, but you're too old to be going out to be leaving!"

"You say I'm old?"

"No sir, I absolutely am not! I was just…!"

"I'm in a very bad mood, Poplar."

"Sir…!"

Another squeal. Bran hopped as two sentries appeared, Poplar's body hanging down from their jaws. They dropped it right across the spotted buck, who knew how rude they were but didn't bother saying anything about that. The Chief's sentries outranked the lesser Captains. He wasn't at the right place to comment about things like these.

"That's two slots for us," Pinecone whispered as the sentries disappeared. "But I don't think I'm very eager to be a higher-ranking Captain now. Even the Chief thinks they're of no use."

"No, Pinecone," another rabbit broke into their conversation. "The Chief's just isn't in a very cheery mood today. This is the first time you've listened to a meeting, right? Well, other times, this never happens." He scratched at his neck. "Not that we shouldn't expect it."

"I think it's over," someone called out in a half-whisper, half-yell.

Bran shrugged. He left them, limping around the two dead rabbits, intending to go back to his burrow and get some rest. It had been quite a long day.

"Bran!" Pinecone called, hopping after the younger rabbit. He sighed, his ears drooping. "I'm sleepy too," he said, knowing how Bran was feeling.

"It wasn't very interesting," Bran stated, wrinkling his snout.

"Yeah," Pinecone agreed, nodding his head up and down. "But you saw a killing, didn't you? Don't you like that?"

Bran shrugged. "Not very much, not unless I saw the _actual_ thing. Other than that, it was pretty boring."

"But we find out that the Chief's going off tomorrow," Pinecone pointed out again.

Bran sat down. There were no sentries or other rabbits in sight, so he knew they were safe, whatever it was they were going to talk about. "What's…in it for us?" he asked, his voice low.

"Look. Strange rabbits that attack. Chief going off. It'll do us good to follow him, just to make sure he's safe." Pinecone swallowed. "Poplar wasn't kidding when he said that the Chief's quite old. If we save him from some sort of danger, imagine what honors we'll be given."

Bran thought the matter out over. It was true…the Chief _ was_ old, and if they save him, it'll be good for them. But he shrugged again. "Don't we have jobs tomorrow?"

Pinecone rolled his eyes, cuffing Bran across the jaw. "You stupid lad! We have a wide patrol tomorrow! All we have to do is patrol towards Forest's general direction!"

The spotted rabbit sighed. "Fine," he said, limping off towards his burrow's direction. "Mind you, Pinecone, it's not the best of your ideas, but it might work," he stated, before disappearing around a corner.

***

Bark yawned, his small ears flattened as he did so. He had been bored the past couple of days. Even with the number of sentries running after them. He had made sure that none of them escaped without some kind of an injury, but he was still bored.

He watched the group of rabbits clustered around him. There were quite a lot, although he knew very well that Coltsfoot and Dog's-Tail had more. He sighed, hopping towards Zen, the only doe in their Owsla, and sat down in front of her.

"Hey," he said softly.

Zen glared at him. She still hadn't gotten over what he did to her when she came. Turning her down as an officer, indeed! She still hated him, even now, and it was a mistake to put her under his lead. After all, she was far from respecting him now.

"You know, the way you tackled that rabbit," Bark started, thinking about last night, when she had attacked another sentry that had tried to get at a couple of their guards. She had delivered a very hard blow across the rabbit's flank, so that the rabbit had not second thoughts about running off. "I'm sorry I didn't accept you in the Owsla before."

She glared at him again, cuffing him across his cheek. "Well, feel sorry all you want. I'm not forgiving you." She snorted and left him, totally mystified.

"What…" he started, staring at the nearest rabbit he could see, which was Poppy. "Was that all…about?"

Poppy shrugged. "'Dat doe," he answered back, yawning. "She's like 'dat."

Bark was about to say something else when he heard a commotion. Motioning to Poppy, he lollopped around the bushes, finally reaching an open space, where a few of the troops have gathered around. When he saw what they were looking at, he didn't know whether to look up in amazement, or roll about the grass, laughing out loud like Mushroom. He chose the former.

Ghost was sitting on top of the largest dog he had ever seen in his whole lifetime, and didn't seem quite scared, for all of that. The dog appeared calm.

"These rabbits?" he heard the dog ask, even as he approached them.

"No, no, these rabbits help you," Ghost told him. He hopped off the dog's back, greeting Bark with his customary face…straight, almost cold, without the barest hint of a smile.

But Bark smiled. He looked over at the dogs, then turned to his Chief as he said, in hedgerow talk, for the sake of being polite, "They destroy rabbit, no?"

"Yes," Ghost answered, nodding. "His name is Rufus." Then, in Lapine, he whispered, "Don't get too confident. They might turn on you. That's why you should attack the inside burrows, instead of fighting them outside. That way, you'll be safe. I don't trust them." He glanced at the two fox terriers behind them.

"Very well sir," Bark said out loud. "I'll see you again. Don't die out on us."

Ghost shook his head as he hopped away. "No I won't," he said, before disappearing.

***

Ivy watched as Bran and Pinecone disappeared, their officers with them. Where they were going, what with the urgency in their movements and all, he had no idea, but he didn't really care much. Let them do what they want. It's their life, after all.

He yawned, ignoring the slight flicker of movement in front of him. He smiled widely at a fellow officer beside him, chatting on about various things like the weather, the flay, and the does.

He was so intent in talking, it took him more than a moment to realize the squealing of rabbits.

Eyes wide in shock, he stared as three dogs appeared, bawling and barking their hearts out. Each went after every single rabbit on sight, tearing them up and shaking them. Blood flung in all directions.

He gasped. "Frithrah!" he cried out, seeing several strange rabbits pour down the fields, seemingly from nowhere. He squealed as he was attacked. Blood streamed down the immensely large wound raked across his chest.

Wildly, he attacked the rabbit, but he had been caught so unaware, it was too late for him to even gain a chance now. He slid across the grass, his eyes wide open, his throat torn apart. He had hardly touched his opponent.

Even as his life ebbed away, he managed to say one thing.

"For all the rabbits…we killed…this is our punishment…forgive us, Frith…"


	40. Familiar Faces

**40 – Familiar Faces **

"Bran? What the heck are you doing here?" Yew asked, sniffing the waterlogged rabbit.

Bran shook himself, sending drops of water flying across the air. It had been perfectly clear that morning, but no more than half an hour later, while he, Pinecone, and both of their troops were on their Chief's trail, it had started raining again. This done, he gave Yew a haughty look. "It's raining, you fool. What do you want us to do, stay there in the rain?"

Yew shrugged, wiping a paw across his head. "You know you're perfectly capable of scouting across the rain. So are your rabbits there."

Pinecone broke into the brewing argument by cuffing the sentry across the head, claws in to prevent unnecessary wounds. "Look, lad, we happened to pass by the warren. We're no fools to stay out in this _embleer_ weather when there's perfectly good shelter nearby."

"Patrolling together?" Yew asked, shaking his head.

Bran cuffed him as well, sending the sentry rolling across the mud. When the rabbit had crashed down, panting and white-eyed, he growled, "Yew, you are the least sensible rabbit I have ever seen in my entire lifetime! Of course we would have traveled in the same general direction! We're from the same warren!"

Yew forced himself up, his fur soggy with wet mud. He shook himself and looked at the two Captains. "Fine, you go on inside. The Chief's here, by the way. Have you heard?"

"Uh, you pathetic, insolent fool," Bran snapped. He looked at Yew and decided there was no point in telling him anything any further. Cussing, he hopped towards the warren, followed by Pinecone and half a dozen wet officers.

They passed by a few other sentries, who had eyed them but said nothing, recognizing the spotted buck with a limp on his hind leg. Finally, they stepped underground and were greeted by another Owsla, whom they immediately recognized as Hickory.

The rabbit sniffed noses with both of them before saying, "What brought you two here?"

"We were on patrol and dropped by because of the rain," Bran told him, leaving the part about going after the Chief's trail to make sure he was safe. Although Hickory generally could be trusted, he wasn't about to speak up. Not after they have found absolutely _no_ trouble along the way and Bran was didn't like talking about things that turned out wrong, and neither did Pinecone. The thing is, they never saw a single strange rabbit along the way, or signs that they were still around. It was as if they disappeared…just like that.

He abandoned his thoughts as Hickory's voice sounded through the burrows. "So you're not with the Chief?" he had been asking.

He flicked his ears as he shook his head. "Nope. He came here okay?"

"He's fine," Hickory said. "He's talking with the Captain Betony."

_"_Heck, why do you _embleer_ rabbits call him _ the _Captain instead of just plain Captain?" Bran commented sarcastically.

Hickory shrugged. "Maybe because we have lots of Captains but he is _the_ Captain of the Owsla."

Bran rolled his eyes, giving Hickory a playful cuff. Hickory avoided the blow and stood at the edge, smiling widely. "You're losing your touch, Bran."

"Shuddup," Bran growled.

"Stop it you two, you're acting like two kittens," Pinecone commented. He gave Hickory a sharp glance. "And you're more than a year old already."

"Fine, _fine_, Dad," the buck told him. "Come on you two. You could use burrows. We've got a few we can spare." He motioned for them to follow him.

***

A loud coughing broke the eerie silence that had been engulfing them for quite some time now. Bran looked at the burrow, worried that he might catch some sort of disease. He spun around and asked Hickory, "Plenty of sick rabbits too, huh? That's the third one I saw here."

Hickory shrugged, pointing his nose at one burrow. "There's another one, in fact. Yes, we've plenty of sick rabbits this season. It's all the rain, you know. I doubt that any of them will survive through the winter." He rubbed a paw against his foreleg, stifling a yawn. Then, he continued to hop on, Bran and Pinecone falling back behind.

"So, any does?" Bran called to him, after a few meters of hopping.

Hickory gave him a wide grin. "There're a few good ones in my area, but I don't think anyone will be ready until spring. After all, with the winter coming on the way, the kits will just die." He glanced at Bran. "Didn't get a doe last spring, huh?"

Bran shook his head, giving an angry snort. "Nah, I had my eye out on this one but some buck took her away. Never thought about it until now." He stood up and pointed towards an array of burrows a few ways off. "That's your area, isn't it?"

"Sure is. Come on, I'll take you to the burrow. You've got to share it with each other…that's the bad thing about us, see? We're so populated, we can't get private burrows nowadays. The rest of them," he looked at the other officers. "Can stay in two others." He hopped on, smiling at the other rabbits, never mind that they weren't too keen on greeting him back. Finally, he led the rabbits to some small and snug burrows.

"Finally," Pinecone exclaimed, obviously relieved. He hopped inside the burrow and crouched down, watching as the officers went towards the others, just as happy to have finally gotten out of the rain.

Bran looked at the older rabbit for a moment, then turned to Hickory. "You take care of your father. I'm going for a walk."

Hickory glared at him. "I don't know…"

"Oh, come on," Bran groaned, giving him a cuff across the head, which the buck avoided easily. "We're officers, you idiot. Captains, if you forgot. We've got privileges."

"But…"

Ignoring him, Bran left the area, passing by sentries who gave him sharp looks, which he gratefully returned. He did this to several other sentries as well, and when he'd had his fun, he thought maybe he'd just explore the whole area. He haven't been to Forest much during his lifetime, and then he hadn't much time to do some exploring. After all, back then, he was usually bringing some sort of message from a high-ranking officer, so he was always in a hurry.

He stepped inside another clustered group of burrows, aware that the sentries had ignored him, unlike the others. He was a tiny bit disappointed, but nevertheless decided to forget about it.

He saw the area's residents. A few were romping about the wider runs, and a few were clustered around one burrow, telling stories to each other. Bran was quite surprised. In contrast to Quieflain's other areas, these rabbits were seemingly active. It was totally confusing.

He hopped towards them, and the rabbits gave him glares, knowing all too-well that he was an officer because of his sleeker fur, and heavy body. The romping youngsters have scuttled towards burrows. This was the respect given to rabbits like him, Bran thought.

He glanced around the rabbits and saw that there was a lone one outside a burrow, grooming intently. The rabbit didn't seem to be oblivious of his presence.

"Hey," he called out, thinking that he had seen this rabbit somewhere before. Somewhere…

The rabbit froze, white-eyed and alarmed. It gave him one look, then dashed off.

"Hey!" he called out. He limped after the rabbit, taking note of the direction it had gone to, even in the dark. He turned around a corner, crashed into two sentries, swore his guts out, then set off across the run in his usual wobbly and uneven gait.

He approached another run, unaware of where it led to. It was only a couple of meters before he realized it was a dead end. But that didn't matter right now, for the rabbit he was after was huddled against it, baring its teeth and growling miserably.

"Who are you?" he asked, assuming a straight position. He limped towards the rabbit and called out, louder, "Who the heck are you? Speak, _embleer_ disgrace to Elahrairah's kind!"

The rabbit gave a whimper. Or a growl…either way, he could not really tell. But he realized that the rabbit didn't want him any closer. "Brave," he whispered, giving a mug smile. "Tell me who you are and I won't hurt you, dammit!"

"Mind your own _embleer_ business," the rabbit retorted hotly.

The voice sounded familiar, but Bran assumed he hadn't heard it before. He sat down, his ears flicking with impatience. "Come on lad. Before I lose my patience."

"I said mind your own _embleer_ business!" the rabbit yelled at him.

He did lose his patience. Bran leaped towards the rabbit, tackling it down the ground. It was only when they made contact that he realized it was a small rabbit. And a young one, at that.

Nevertheless, he did not care. He slammed the rabbit across the wall, then pinned it down with his weight.

He could make out the rabbit's facial features, and at that moment, he could only stare with shock. The rabbit, too, was vaguely surprised.

"B…ran…" the rabbit whispered. "Bran."

"Embleer Frith," Bran groaned, his mind racing. Rabbits necessarily don't have much logic, but somehow, Bran managed to put two and two together. _Ghost away from his warren. Ghost quickly leaving…after hearing my story? Rabbits seemingly happy…in Quieflain…ordinary rabbits? Timothy in the same area…Timothy running from me…Frithrah…Frith…rah _

He dropped him.

"We're enemies," Timothy gasped in a stricken voice. "Oh Frith…no…"

"Leave," Bran growled, shutting his eyes and moving out of the way. "Don't stay around here any longer. Before I decide I want to kill you."

Timothy hurried off.

"Bran?" he called out, stopping for a moment. "Bran…it's really you…I can't believe it…but why…?"

"I said LEAVE!"

Timothy rushed away, while Bran sat down, hurt. It was some time before he decided to return back to Hickory's area, completely avoiding the way he had come through before.

He hadn't even reached it when sounds of panic echoed through the air, sending him into total rage, and hurting his heart even more then before.


	41. A War In Progress

**41 – A War in Progress **

"I'm bored," Trefoil announced, swatting at a fly that landed at his ear. He shivered and looked at Coltsfoot. "Really, I am."

Coltsfoot shrugged. "We all are, but later we won't," he said. He yawned, then stood up to look at the huge group of rabbits nearby. Since they would be targeting Forest on their own, without the help of anything, dogs or whatsoever, they got the bigger army.

"Lucky Bark," Coltsfoot muttered. True, he was eager to do some fighting, but he wasn't a bloodthirsty rabbit like some are. And he wasn't very eager to die, either. He shuddered when he thought about that. Dieing.

Would he die in this battle? He had never thought about it before, when he agreed to lead this battle, along with Dog's-Tail. What would happen if he died here? He had, for so long, cheated death…Forest, the _hombil_, the battle in Mushroom's warren…and he was not sure whether he will this time.

He thought of Moss and his kittens rapidly growing inside her. Would he see ever see them?

"You worried, huh?"

Coltsfoot turned around to see Dog's-Tail, looking at him thoughtfully. "Yeah," he said, giving a quick smirk. "How'd you know that?"

Dog's-Tail gave him a reassuring smile. "I just…know."

"I'm thinking," Coltsfoot told him, removing his gaze from him and staring at the army. "Whether I'll survive. And what will happen to me if I don't."

"When you were young, you were unafraid of dying," Dog's-Tail told him. "You were very brave, back then. You'd throw yourself at anything, regardless of what it was."

"Am I not now?" Coltsfoot asked him, his ears hanging lower than usual.

Dog's-Tail shook his head. "No. Only wiser." He gave a deep sigh. "I haven't told you this before, lad. I guess you can use it when we start fighting. Rashness and courage are not the same. Think twice before doing something risky."

Coltsfoot grinned at him. "You know I can't do that. I act before I think. I've got the scars to prove it."

The Captain chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so. You're clueless, you know," he added, jokingly.

When he saw Coltsfoot turn away from him, his face still worried, he said in a gentler voice, "We'll come through this alive, lad. We've got to have faith. We've got to believe in Frith that we will."

He gave a wide smile. "And then, we will."

***

Ghost arrived in the scene, the black crow flying overhead. He glanced at the Owsla, before sitting down beside Coltsfoot and Dog's-Tail.

"You ready?" he asked, without greeting them.

Used to his usual cold treatment, Coltsfoot nodded. "Yes lord. The Owsla are in great shape. We've split them into troops." He tilted his head. "And sir, what has happened to Bark and his Owsla?"

"From Ebony's reports, they're getting the upper edge," Ghost told him, nibbling on some grass. "Those dogs came in handy."

"I've never had thought," Dog's-Tail remarked, scratching his head. "I've never had thought that you could come up with something that'll make a dog help you. You got it from Rowsby Woof and Elahrairah? It's…" He chuckled. "Amazing."

Ghost shrugged, Dog's-Tail's praises hardly affecting his system. He swallowed, sitting up and scratching an ear. "I guess we better get this attack on going. Timothy should be doing his job by now."

***

"You okay?" Witchhazel asked the panting young buck, giving him a sympathetic look.

Timothy nodded. "Yah," he said, sitting up and shaking his head. "Yes, I'm…fine. It's almost time. Hear the shouting?"

"Uh huh," Witchhazel nodded.

Timothy got out of the burrow and stretched himself, while keeping an eye out on the sentries posted in their areas. He sat down, thinking whether he could handle this or not. He knew he should, eventually…

He swallowed his fears, standing up and placing his hindquarters squarely behind him. Then, he lunged at one unsuspecting sentry, his jaws locking deep into the big rabbit's throat.

He was an inexperienced fighter. Although trained well by Ghost and the Owsla, he hadn't been in a real battle himself. So he was totally unprepared when the other sentry, seeing this sudden attack, had buried his claws deep into his back, making him panic.

He started kicking, unsure of what to do, his teeth still tightened around the other rabbit's throat. His claws stroke blood and the sentry he was attacking slumped down, suffocated. But he did not notice this, for he was far too shocked to. The other rabbit's claws were slashing him…

Oh Frith, he was going to die…

He suddenly felt himself being flung against the earth walls. He landed straight down, bleeding and coughing blood, white-eyed and panting. As he lay there, he saw Witchhazel hop towards him and press a nose against his head.

"Timothy?" Witchhazel asked.

Timothy gave him a slight nod.

"I can fight too, you know," Witchhazel told him. Then, the smirk on the rabbit's face was replaced by a serious look. "Uh oh. The other two sentries. Lad, get up. You're not yet going to die, but you're not yet going to give up. When you grow old and weak remember that Witchhazel told you that."

Timothy scrambled to his feet, wincing in pain, but otherwise still alive. He gave Witchhazel a confident smile. "So I don't fight alone," he gasped, locking his eyes on the sentries. "That's good."

Witchhazel quickly barreled into the first sentry, knocking it towards the other one. Claws extended, he slashed the sentry across the face, then kicked it against the wall.

The sentry wasn't done yet, though. Witchhazel was relatively small compared to him, that and the fact that he was also weak. He cuffed Witchhazel, sending a streak of blood pouring from a wound in his chest.

Timothy was suddenly on him, fighting like mad. When the other rabbit saw this, he tackled the same sentry.

Two dogged rabbits against him was quite a match, but it became worse for the sentry when _hrair_ rabbits plunged themselves towards him, all residents from the area. He managed to catch a glimpse of his companion, who was also covered by very mad rabbits.

Suddenly, he could not breath. He trashed around wildly, killing two very weak rabbits in the process. Foaming, he suddenly slumped down the ground.

The rabbits quickly bolted to their burrows, leaving Witchhazel, Timothy, and a couple outside the run. A few rabbits, two Forest-descendents, and three pure Quieflain-rabbits, had died during the onslaught. Timothy was quite glad only those had left. If they've killed any more than four pure Forest rabbits, he'd have been thrashing anyone in sight right now.

He limped towards one side of the run, inspecting it cautiously. When he saw that there were no other strange rabbits, sentries or otherwise, he looked back at his companions and called, "We need to close this one run and guard the other one, while Witchhazel fetches the others. By the looks of this, the battle will keep the Owsla busy for a while. They shouldn't bother us."

At this, some of the rabbits started appearing, out from their burrows, and started to block the run. Timothy smiled. He limped towards a burrow and crouched down, his fur twitching as pain from his wounds edged through his body.

"You stay alive there Timothy," Witchhazel told him, poking his nose inside the burrow. "I'll get the other Forest rabbits. You told me you'll be saving them. Why, by the looks of it, you'll be saving the innocent Quieflain rabbits too."

Timothy gave him a wide smile. When he was gone, he laid his head on one of his paws and fell into a deep nap.

***

They were whispers, barely detectible because of all the noise of squealing, panicking rabbits. But sure enough, they were whispers.

Bran waited outside the run, his thoughts racing. Suddenly a rabbit appeared.

"What's this all about?" Bran quickly asked, raising his head. His ears were drawn back.

Hickory sighed. "An attack. Rabbits. Chief's not too pleased, but he says we can kill those before evening silflay. He cut us into groups." He shook his head. "Why attack us? I'm not very fond of battles."

"Perhaps," Bran told him, making Hickory turn his head in surprise. Bran usually loved battles. But he seemed unenthusiastic this time.

"Yeah," Hickory said. "By the way, Bran," he added, standing up. "The Chief didn't know you were here, so you can come with me. I'm going to fight under Captain Feverfew's command."

The buck shook his head. "I'm going to fight on my own."

Hickory shrugged, hopping away slowly. "Hey Bran," he said, before disappearing. "Take care."

"Later," Bran called back to him.


	42. Nightshade and Autumn's Battle

**42 – Nightshade and Autumn's Battle **

"Keep on walking!"

"I'm tiwed."

"Well, you wouldn't want Dad or Tim to die, do you?"

"No, but 'thill, I'm tiwed."

It was the day before any of the troops had started their attacks. Nightshade sat down, his ears dejectedly drooping down to his side, his hind legs spread apart. Dirt was streaking his face and hanging down his small, barely visible whiskers, and his fur was caked with dry and wet mud. Shivering, mostly from fear than from cold, he licked a paw clumsily, then crouched down.

His sister hopped to his side. "Come on Nightshade," she said, batting him with her paws.

"We walked many mileth," he said, refusing to budge. He looked down the grass and grabbed a blade, chewing on it while sniffling. "I'm tiwed and I want mawli."

"It's not so far," Autumn told him, crouching down as well. But she did not eat anything. Rather, she looked around, hoping they don't run into some kind of danger. Seeing that there seems to be none, she sat up and looked down at her brother. "Come on. I see a hole in that tree over there. We'll rest for a while then we go, huh?"

"Okay," Nightshade mumbled. He followed her to the said tree, squeezing into the tiny hole after she had gone in.

"Think," the buck kitten suddenly asked, pulling a piece of grass from outside with his tiny teeth. "Think they be okay?" he asked, chewing on it with extreme hunger.

"I dunno," Autumn told him truthfully, reaching out for some food as well. "Hope they okay, though." She finished the grass with a gulp and decided she wasn't as hungry as Nightshade.

She crouched down beside him, her head on his shoulder.

"Think…think it okay to thleep, thith?" Nightshade asked.

"Uh huh," his sister answered. "Just a few minutes, okay?" she added, quite groggily.

"Okay," Nightshade said. "Thith?" He glanced behind him. "Thith?"

She did not answer. Realizing that his sister was already asleep, he dropped down as well, exhausted, wishing that all the troubles would be over soon.

***

There was a slight scratching outside. Autumn raised her head in panic. It was still light, so she must have fallen asleep for just a while. She froze in terror. She haven't seen a real _elil_ in her whole life, but she knew how dangerous they were. Stories told by some of the rabbits, about _ hombil_ and _lendril_ and hawks, started spinning around her mind.

She woke Nightshade up. The tiny buck groggily opened his eyes and asked, "What?" in a very irritated manner. Shaking her head, she pointed to the hole with her nose.

Nightshade looked at it, and heard the dim, scratching sound. Panic rose through his veins, and since he did not handle it in the same, quiet manner his sister had done, he scrambled off to a corner, helplessly trying to burrow himself away from the noise.

"Who…who's there?" Autumn called out, while trying to keep her brother from hurting himself any further.

"Who's there?" she cried, louder this time, the fear getting too much to handle.

There was a slight moment of silence, then someone cried out, "Autumn? Nightshade?"

Recognizing the voice, Autumn rushed towards the hole, squeezing herself out and sitting down. A very small, frightened buck was sitting just outside, his ears laid back against his head. In a joyous rush of relief, she scrambled on to him, hugging his forepaw with both of hers, while saying, "You scared us!"

Nightshade poked his head out of the hole. He was still scared, but the fear immediately left him as he rushed to the buck in the same way his sister had done, burrowing his head against the buck's other leg.

"S'okay, kits," the bucks reassured them.

"What you doin' here?" Nightshade asked, sitting down with a wide grin on his face.

"'Followed you," the buck answered, sniffing the air with a very worried expression. He shivered, although there was no sign of _elil_ or anything similar to them around. Crouching down, he quickly added, "They're…they're searching for ya. I…I could have sworn I'd be telling them where you went off sooner or later and I didn't…know whether you'd like that or not. So I followed you instead." He tensely rubbed his face with his forepaws.

Autumn sat down beside Nightshade and picked up a small blade of grass, chewing it while asking, "But you told us yourself that Tim hates you."

The buck shrugged, then shook his head. "Yeah…probably…but I got to make sure you both are okay. Can you tell my you wanted to follow them again?"

"Told you cause we want to make sure Dad and Tim's okay, Ulé," Autumn answered.

Ulézenhyze sighed. "Well then…I guess that's good…Hop's worried sick about Timothy…it'll do good if we get back there as soon as it's over so she gets news first." He gave another sigh. "I've no idea why she's so infatuated with him. It's the worse I've seen in any of the rabbits." He looked at the two kittens, who were trying their best to understand what he just said, but not really succeeding, and gave a wide smile. "Never mind."

The small buck sniffed the air, and suddenly became stricken with fear. A while back everything seemed perfectly all right. Now, the air was full of the stinking, horrifying scent of a fox.

"Run, run!" he yelled, and at the exact moment, he saw the tawny form of the fox rushing towards them, jaws snapping. In horror, he bolted, leaving the two kittens exposed.

Nightshade squealed, and so did Autumn. The fox missed them by an inch, and Nightshade crouched there, frozen with fear.

The fox cursed loudly, in its own language, and looked back, eyeing the two kittens. Then, it licked its lips.

Autumn returned to her senses. By far, she was a fairly sensible kitten, almost to the point of being as calm as her father. So now she realized that if they stayed here, _tharn_, they'd be dead before they could manage to say Elahrairah. So, even as the fox swerved towards them, she pushed Nightshade towards the safety of the hole.

They slammed inside, and the foxes' jaws snapped. Leaning against the wood, they stared as the fox tried to dig them out, but the hole was too small. In fact, it was only big enough for its muzzle to fit in. It yapped in frustration.

It seemed forever, but the fox finally left them, finally figuring out that two tiny kittens weren't worth any trouble. When she thought it was gone, Autumn hopped out of their shelter and looked around. It was still light, though the sky was reddish in color as the day started to wane away.

Autumn carefully hopped around. She suddenly became tense as a brown figure appeared from behind the bushes, but this immediately went away when she realized it was only Ulézenhyze, walking towards her with eyes wide open in terror. His gait was unsteady, as if he was in tiptoes.

"You…both alive?" he ask, shaking. He touched Autumn's head with a very wet nose.

"Yes," Autumn answered. She stood up on her hind legs and peered over at the tree. "Nightshade? Brother?"

Nightshade poked his head out. "Ith…ith _homba_ gone?"

His sister nodded.

The gray-brown rabbit scuttled out from the hole and run towards her. He crouched down beside her, trembling. "Homba…that _homba_, ith it?"

"Yes," Ulézenhyze told him gently. He licked Nightshade's head and diligently groom the kitten's ears, trying his best to soothe him although he was just as afraid as he was. "And you survived it, Nightshade-roo. We all did."

The words made the tiny kitten smile widely. "Tho…we did? Suwvive _homba_ attack? We good wabbit, then?"

"Yes, roo."

The kitten sat up and looked at his sister proudly.

There was a sudden shriek above them, sending Nightshade toppling over. He squealed as a big crow came upon them, cawing. White-eyed, the three rabbits started to flee, but were stopped when the crow suddenly called, in very plain Lapine, "Hey, you rabbits still 'feared of me? Caw!"

Ulézenhyze _was_ still afraid of the crow, and it took a considerable amount of effort before he could stare at him straight in the eyes. He flicked his ears, running down a paw across one. Ever since the attack, Ebony had left him scarred, and his ears were torn across the edges.

Ebony waddled across the soil. "What you rabbits doing here? Far off territory," he said. He cawed again, then tilted his head, looking at them.

"We following Ghost-rah," Autumn told him, raising a paw to emphasize what she just said.

The crow cawed, making Ulézenhyze shivering. "You follow them? I lead you to them, make sure you safe." He opened his beak and turned to both Autumn and Nightshade. "You two…you Rah, are you not?"

"Rah's kittens," Autumn said, nodding. "Yes."

Ebony lifted himself up the air, his wings sending a pretty powerful torrent of wind across the grass. He landed on the branch of the tree and called down to them, "Then you, you follow me. I not be too quick. Make sure you safe, know."

"Thank you, thank you very much," Autumn called to him. She hopped down across the ground as Ebony flew off, landing on a nearby tree while waiting for her to catch up.

Nightshade and Ulézenhyze stared at each other for half a second, then they bounded after the two, the thoughts of the fox leaving them as they started to pray that their companions were well.


	43. A War Beginning

**43 – A War Beginning **

There was a sickening crunch, and Trefoil turned his head to gaze at Dog's-Tail. The Captain had a rabbit hanging down his mouth.

"Sir…?" he asked, suddenly afraid. He had no idea that the battle would be like this. He gazed around the field, looking as his companions threw themselves at the uncountable number of guards and sentries, jaws and claws slashing through the air, and he swallowed. What was he _thinking_ when he joined?

Alarmed, he started to flee. Perhaps he could sneak away from them before the fighting gets any worse. But he had not even made two hops when he slammed into someone.

Shrieking, he turned, white-eyed, but saw only Dog's-Tail, looking at him curiously. He sat down, his ears flattened as he dejectedly said, "Sorry…"

"You're trying to run away?" Dog's-Tail asked, wiping blood off his nose. He flicked his tail and tilted his head, his brows lowered. "Lad, before this war you were no Owsla. But I chose you as one because you showed exceptional talent during the training. Why run away?"

It was hard to lie to Dog's-Tail. Perhaps to Coltsfoot, and even Bark, but trying to lie to Dog's-Tail, with his yellow eyes staring at you like a patient father…it was difficult. Turning away, Trefoil answered, "Sir…sir…it's that…" He lowered his head. "I never expected that a real battle would be like this. In the training…during the training, it was easy. I knock down, I bite, I claw, but there was no…" He swallowed a lump in his throat. "No blood." He turned to Dog's-Tail. "And no one died…or suffered…but look at this…" He looked around at the dead sentries, their blood making the grass crimson red. "Why are we doing this, sir? Why are we fighting?"

Dog's-Tail sighed, kicking an oncoming Quieflain sentry off him. He slashed the rabbit's throat instantly with one blow. It was a poorly trained buck, he could tell, or he wouldn't have killed it easily. He looked back at Trefoil and told him, "Lad, I could tell you that I am doing this to save my old warren. This place…I was born here lad." He shook his head. "I was born here, I was raised here. It was here that I first trained, as an officer. It was here I became Captain. This was my home. And the rabbits that were with me…all of them, whether I knew them or whether I had not…they were my family."

He gazed at Trefoil intently. "That is why I am fighting. But you. You were born in Inléthlay, am I right? You're not from here, so I guess, I guess that's why you think you should not fight. But lad, tell me this. Who is your Chief?"

"Ghost-rah," Trefoil answered, flicking his ears.

"And he chose to fight. In that way…" He stood up and flung himself at another oncoming rabbit, receiving a heavy blow across the head. His head reeled, but he threw himself at the rabbit anyway, and he slashed the rabbit's shoulder in a failed attempt to reach its neck. Growling, he leaped at it again. At the exact moment he saw Trefoil upon the buck's back, scratching and biting.

With a quiet smile, he bit down the now-confused rabbit's neck, piercing through the flesh and reaching the life-giving vein. Once he had slashed it, the rabbit walked across the grass in horror, throat bleeding badly. It squealed and tried to reach at Dog's-Tail again, but before that, it fell down the ground, eyes wide open.

"In that way," Dog's-Tail continued, wiping his nose. "You fight." He looked at the perplexed Trefoil. "You're an officer. A soldier. Every Owsla rabbit is to fight for his Chief. These rabbits? You see, they're fighting for Chief too. I show no contempt at those that destroyed Forest because they were only fighting for their Chief…who I wish to get at, is him…_their_ Chief. Because we fight for our Chief." He smiled. "So if you can't think of any reason to fight…if you think you should back down, remember that you're doing this for your Rah."

Trefoil hung his head down. "I'm sorry, Captain."

"It's okay, lad," Dog's-Tail reassured him. He started to hop off. "Everyone questions his ways sometime or another. What matters is when you find the answer."

***

Finishing off the _silf_ sentries and guards was no easy matter. In fact, it was most after _ni-Frith_ when the last remaining sentry fell down, and then there were many that escaped into the burrows. Dog's-Tail and the rest of them were cleaning up, watching the holes as they readied themselves for the intense parts of the battle, for rabbit warrens are large, larger than the field in itself, and fighting inside was more of a challenge then simple struggles in the field.

"I guess that's it," Dog's-Tail said, looking at their troops. So far, he was quite glad they had lost but two rabbits during the onslaught. It was good, compared to the way they had lost the Forest rabbits last year. He had trained them well this time.

Ghost nodded. He had few wounds, but had nothing to say about it. He was aware that this was no time to be proud of such things. The rabbits they fought were too weak. They could clobber two down at a time with no problem. It wasn't right, he reasoned.

The better Owsla officers are down below. He looked at the grass. Down below, in the burrows and runs. He knew how tough things could get in burrow-battles, especially when faced with good fighters. He gave a deep sigh, then looked at the two Captains. "You think we'll do better by digging them out?"

Dog's-Tail shook his head instantly. "By no means, no, Nightshade-rah. We'll go inside." He pointed at their rabbits with his nose, his whiskers quivering. "See, we have very few rabbits, and they have lots more. If we dig them out, they'll have the edge." He rubbed his neck with a hind leg. "Fighting in burrows, it'll be more difficult because we can't gang up on one opponent together. So it's usually one or two against one or two. But in this way, we can defeat them…not altogether, but little by little. So it's partly to our advantage, as they can't gang up on us either. The bad thing is, they _do_ have more rabbits than we do."

"Well, they don't have the determination we have," Coltsfoot broke in, standing up and extending one paw, his claws out.

"You're right," Dog's-Tail smiled, nodding his head. "And the other thing is, if we dig them out, we'll be exhausted. Then we won't have enough strength to fight the remaining of them."

"So that's settled," Ghost told him. "We're going underground."

Dog's-Tail nodded. "Yes, sir." He sat up. "We're going to separate into groups." And he began a long list of the Owsla officers, putting them under the command of the lesser Captains, himself, and Coltsfoot. Ghost himself was amazed at how Dog's-Tail had remembered all of their individual names, and was more amazed when he realized he was grouping them by their abilities, so that each one would work well with the other. By far, this was the best Owsla Captain he had ever set his eyes on. He was glad the buck was on his side and not on Quieflain's.

Upon questioning Ghost as to who he wishes to add to his own group, the Chief refused. He looked down the ground and said, "No. I can't defend anyone's flanks when all I'll be doing is striking the enemies. I can't afford to have someone with me." He looked at Dog's-Tail. "And if you remember how I fight, I don't need someone breaking my cover."

"The _elil_ sneaks, the _elil _pounces, silently, and when their jaws are around one's neck, few escape." Dog's-Tail told him, nodding his head

"Eh?" half of the Owsla officers asked, emitting a wide smile in part of both Dog's-Tail and Coltsfoot.

"In this case, let's go, lads!" Dog's-Tail yelled. The rabbits set off towards the holes they were supposed to enter.

Before they completely separated from each other, Dog's-Tail looked at Coltsfoot. "Hey," he told him. "Captain Coltsfoot. You've got lots to learn from this one. Come out alive at the end."

"You bet I will," Coltsfoot told him.

***

"Damn, they're starting to go in!" one rabbit called out.

Bran could not tell who it was, but the words were enough to tell him that their enemies were underground. He limped towards a run and crouched down beside two strange rabbits.

"How many?" he quickly asked them. One turned to him and shrugged.

"We have no idea, sir," the rabbit said, making note of Bran's appearance, realizing at that moment that he was no ordinary officer. "They're quite lots, but we basically overpower them. The higher leaders are confident we can crush them easily."

"I see," Bran said, thinking. If Ghost's troops were as good as he in battle, it would not matter as to whose side had more rabbits. He shuddered as he remembered how Ghost had almost beaten him when they first met. By no means was Quieflain's Owsla a weak group, but still…

"Sir? I think you should get back to your post now," one of the rabbits told him. "Sir? They'll kill us if they see you away from it."

Bran nodded. He didn't want to put these two rabbits in harm. Not that he cared for them, but he was not an unreasonable person. He left them with a quick nod, to fight off on his own.

The hours waned off, and the squeals of dying and fighting rabbits could be clearly heard, even on _silf_.

A war had begun.


	44. Poppy's Battle

**44 – Poppy's Battle **

_"Owsla…ha! You wish to join the Owsla? Don't make me laugh!" _

_"Yeah…'e says e's gonna join the Owsla…ridiculous! E's marli don't even have 'er own burrow…and ya know what 'appened to 'is pap? 'E didn't make it to the Owsla, and 'e tried to attack the Captain cause of that. Know what 'appened to 'm? 'E died! Ha!" _

_"'E managed to 'urt 'da Captain, still!" _

_"Yeah right he did!" _

_"'E did!" _

_"No 'e ain't." _

_"Me's gonna prove it!" _

_"How, kitten? You gonna cuff us with your doe-like paws?" _

The memories echoed through Poppy's head as he tore upon the two bucks that blocked his way, his mouth flowing with blood and saliva. His huge paws, connected to sharp claws, scratched across his enemies in such a way that both fell dead in less than five seconds. The huge buck stood there, panting, eyes smoldering. In his mind, he was not killing Quieflain rabbits. He was hurting them…_them_…

_"You fought again? Oh dear, Poppy-roo…" _

_"Don't call me Roo!" _

_"When will you learn? When? You can't fight them…you know how strong they are…" _

_"Me's can too! Father fought Captain Acorn and 'e wounded 'm! Didn't e'?" _

_"It was only a wound, Poppy…only a wound…and look what happened to him…" _

_"Dammit…an' dere' fathers can't fight 'm, can't dey?" _

_"Poppy, don't use such language." _

_"Can't 'dey?" _

_"Poppy…" _

He slashed at the fallen bodes, ripping them apart so he could go through the burrows. When he was done, he was soaked in their and his blood, but he did not care one bit as he hopped across the runs, oblivious of everything but his memories…

_"What yew mean me can't try out for Owsla?" _

_"You're that Dandelion's son, aren't you? He attacked Captain Acorn after he was not accepted. You think we'll make you?" _

Rabbits came at him, in twos once more. He shoved himself at them, hardly caring even as their teeth and claws landed on his hide. Using his weight, he pushed them to a corner and tore at them quickly, his paws working rapidly, his jaws snapping madly.

Dripping blood, he left them. The memories of his past were painful.

He was born an outskirt, an ordinary rabbit. His mother hardly had a burrow to sleep in, and had always been pushed around in the big, overcrowded warren of theirs. Their Captain had killed his father after being attacked, and this action of his had caused his mate and kittens suffering far beyond compare.

When Poppy was no more than a few weeks old, he had been constantly baffled as to why the other kittens pushed him around. Insulted to the point of madness, he almost never came home without a scratch on him. His mother was terrified, had pleaded to him to stop fighting…to start respecting the others, but he refused. His pride was far too high.

He grew up an outcast. And in this way he swore to himself that he would become stronger. Someday, he promised himself…he was going to defeat those that oppressed him.

When he was a young buck, no more than six months old, he tried to get in the Owsla, but was refused, even with his heavy stature. And all because of what his father had done.

A few months later on, he met Zen, an Owsla officer's daughter. Through her, he managed somehow to become an Owsla. But even then, he gained little respect from the residents. Not that they respected the lower-ranking Owsla officers, anyway, like he and Zen. That was why they left.

He still hated the memories, and he wished…he wished that those rabbits that had oppressed him before were here now. He wished they were the ones he were killing.

He sat down, licking a wound on his forepaw.

What would they say of him now?

There was a grunting. He lifted his ears, aware of this, even with the barking and squealing going on above. He stood up, gritting his teeth, muscles tense, as he waited.

Sure enough, several rabbits appeared. Three heavily built bucks, bristling as they came towards him. He was not afraid as he spread out his fore paws, watching them with that certain hatred he had for mostly everything he set eyes on. In fact, he was far from afraid. He gave a quick chuckle.

Without warning one buck raced towards him. Bracing himself, he threw himself at it, growling. Blood splat towards all directions, and in no less than two seconds, the rabbit was dead, its neck broken. Poppy stood on top of the carcass as he eyed his other two enemies warily.

When they did not budge from their positions for some time, Poppy lifted his head and gave a deep growl, while saying, "Whassa matter? Yer afeared of somethin'?"

One of the rabbits shook his head. Then, he said, "What are you fighting for?"

Genuinely confused, the buck stared at him. Then, he muttered, "Heck's 'dat 'suppose ta mean?"

There was a quick glint in his enemy's eyes, but Poppy did not notice this. "I suppose you fight for your Chief. I myself, do."

Poppy growled. "My Chief ain't 'dat good…but wat da heck's 'dis suppose ta' do with fightin'?"

"Oh, everything," the rabbit said, quickly smiling. He walked towards Poppy.

"Who are you fighting then, for?" he asked, sitting down and looking at the perplexed rabbit. "Well?"

"I…"

Before Poppy could say anything else, the rabbit had slashed at him. Poppy was sent sprawling across the run. He landed against the heap of dead rabbits, those he had killed earlier, and stayed down, panting.

The rabbit gave him a wide grin before sending his claws burrowing through his skin. He squealed, kicking, but to no avail, for the rabbit had pinned him down and he was aware that the buck was just as strong as he was.

"Say your prayers," the rabbit told him, raising a paw.

Suddenly, he felt himself being heaved across the air. Poppy's back legs had kicked into his stomach. Although Poppy had failed to use his claws, it did a pretty good blow. Growling, Poppy stood up and lowered his head.

But he hadn't been expecting the sudden blow from above. Horrified, he realized that being off his guard was not very good. The other rabbit was attacking him…

Fuming, he wildly trashed about, caring not whether he was hitting his opponent, the ground, the dead rabbits, or merely the air.

His enemy extended his claws and raked them across Poppy's skin. As the flesh tore, Poppy continued to trash, his heart pounding as anger and fear grappled him.

Suddenly, he saw another rabbit out of nowhere. Expecting it to be another enemy, he was surprised when he saw it was Zen.

The huge doe had cuffed his opponent away from him, instantly freeing him. Then, she tackled the buck down the ground, sending a series of cuffs, slashes, and bites towards him. Her claws became soaked with blood, but she was not hurt. The element of surprise had worked this time, and the other rabbit, who had not been expecting her to appear, was of no match. It was not long before it was all over.

Poppy's troubles were not over yet, however. The first rabbit…the one who had tricked him…was now fighting with him. Both were equally matched against the other. Fur and blood flew, and Poppy's tremendous weight didn't seem to be doing him any justice at all. The buck suddenly grabbed him by the leg, holding on tightly. Poppy shook his leg wildly, but the rabbit refused to budge.

In a sudden fit of rage, he jerked his head up, rearing on his hind legs as he tried to remove the rabbit's firm grip. But the action proved to be a mistake. The rabbit dropped him and flew towards his neck. He squealed as the rabbit's jaws locked into his throat, squealed as he realized that the impossible had happened…

But even as his sight blurred at his sudden loss of blood, he saw Zen ferociously attacking his opponent, flinging him away from him. The rabbit slammed against the burrow wall, squealed, and then remained still.

Shaking, he stood up and limped towards the rabbit. The buck was dead. "Me's fight for m'self," he said. Then, he slumped down the ground.

"Poppy?" Zen called, hopping towards him and sitting down, shaking him with a paw, concern in her eyes. "Poppy?" she repeated.

"Me's goin' ta die," he murmured, his breathing ragged and shallow, the blood on his neck showing tiny crimson bubbles as the air escaped.

"No you won't," Zen reassured her lifelong friend, shaking her head. Was he giving up?

"Sure me'll," Poppy muttered, his eyes flickering. "Dun' trick me."

She looked away, all of a sudden, afraid. Poppy had been one of the best fighters she had every known for a long time. If he fell, does that mean that she too, could fall? She had not thought about it this way. She had always thought that she could handle situations with her strength and abilities alone. But then, she realized, that no mortal was truly invincible.

That even the best could fail.

But not only that. Poppy, gruff as he was, had been a good, if not great, friend to her, for as long back as she could remember. And she didn't want this to happen to him. Why would she want it? He was her friend, after all.

"Zen…" he started. She looked at the limp rabbit, struggling to say something.

"'Dat doe," he whispered in a low voice. "'Dat doe, Daisy…ain't it? Get through 'dis one 'live n' tell 'er…me's sorry for 'fore, when me tried to send 'em off…" He coughed, the blood pouring down his muzzle. "N' tell 'er…thanks, thanks for 'elping me out dere' durin' when me left da warren. N' 'dat…me might be gone, but me's gonna be 'round…still…"

"Yes," Zen told him, giving him her reassurance. She stood up as straight as she could, to honor what she knew would be the last time she would see him alive. And then she bowed.

For the first time ever since he could not remember, Poppy gave a smile.

And then he stopped running.


	45. A War

**45 – A War **

He eyed the enemy, his breathing slow and steady, his eyes focused only on one thing: his target. His body was low the ground, so that his belly was touching the soil, and his hind legs were spread out behind him, so that he was ready to strike at any moment, at any given time.

The rabbit turned and he froze, his muscles tense and rigid. The rabbit sniffed the air, but it did not seem to catch any whiff of anything in particular. Confident that all was well, it slumped down the ground, yawning. It looked away to the left, gazing at the dark burrows at nothing in particular.

It was then that he flew across the run, his body looking no more than a medium-sized gray blur, blue eyes flashing even in the dark. The rabbit hardly had time to react. When it turned, he was already clutched tight on its neck. He pulled, sharply, and blood sprayed across the tunnel, soaking it and making it muddy. The dead rabbit slumped down the ground, its mouth open. It never had time to cry.

There were no other sentries around, and Ghost sat down, rubbing his bloody forepaws on his muzzle as he gingerly cleaned himself. So far, so good.

***

"This is horrible," Fiber commented, shaking his head. He sat down, looking at the run half-blocked by dead rabbits they just slaughtered moments ago. "I mean…I don't mind fighting and all, but we killed so many!"

He looked at the bodies, giving a quick breath. "I mean, Captain, _look_ at them. Half of these rabbits are about as young as Timothy-rah, I can swear!"

Coltsfoot sat down, looking at him with twitching whiskers. "If we didn't kill them, they might as well have killed us."

"But still…" Fiber stammered, utterly confused. "Isn't it wrong? They're having a peaceful life, and then all of a sudden…WHAM! We attack them without warning."

"Peaceful?" one of their officers blurted out. "Hey, did anyone see those residents we just passed? They look wretched beyond compare. This is stupid thinking Fiber. We're saving them, we're saving us."

Fiber shrugged, lamely. "But it's the officers…I mean…"

"Oh, shut up Fiber," Coltsfoot snapped, giving the buck a wary look. He heaved a deep sigh. "If you're so concerned about them then why don't you join them?" He felt a pang of impatience flare inside him.

"It's not that," Fiber told him, his head hung down. "But yeah, okay, I'll shut up."

The group rested for a while, the strength slowly returning to their tired and aching bodies. Then, Coltsfoot decided it was time to move on. He stood up, stretching himself.

He hadn't hopped very far, no more than two meters, at least, when he saw a slight movement up ahead. Bracing himself, he gave a slight growl as a rabbit limped towards them.

He twitched his ears in amazement. This rabbit coming towards them was big, but he was lame…

What would a lame rabbit be doing here, fighting against them?

Coltsfoot shook himself. This was no time to be thinking about such things. He lowered his head in a fighting stance, targeting the ever-vulnerable neck. One slash, and if things went according to his plans, it won't take much time. And at the way the rabbit looked, it seems that it won't take very much effort, either.

He suddenly hopped across the soil, quickly, but was taken in surprise when the rabbit interpreted his intentions. He stopped in his tracks as his enemy lowered his head, thus blocking passage to his throat. Had he been his usual self, he would have rushed at the enemy again with the same tactics, regardless of whether his enemy would kill him or not. But after Dog's-Tail had told him to think twice before doing something risky, he decided to find another way. He vaguely cursed his bad luck.

He thought for a moment, then decided on something. He flew in at the enemy again, but instead of targeting for the enemy's throat, he was hoping to use his weight to overthrow him. He rammed against the buck, pushing him with all his weight.

Bran was very much amused by the way the cream rabbit fought. It was unusual for him to find opponents that thought before they acted, and like the rabbit he was, he was very much glad of good fights. He braced himself as the rabbit crashed towards him, and suddenly turned the fight into wrestling…a sumo match, of some sort.

_Good Frith, this rabbit's heavier than I thought!_ Coltsfoot's mind screamed as Bran countered by pushing _him_. He spread out his back legs to support the heavy mass threatening to knock him off his balance. _And how the heck could a lame rabbit do this? _Growling with impatience, he lunged at the rabbit with his teeth.

The spotted buck was not expecting this, and as a punishment for being off his guard, he got a huge wound, going across his shoulder. He looked at it for a second, watching as it dripped blood, then he reached for the buck and bit down on the nearest piece of flesh he could get his teeth on…

Which happened to be one of Coltsfoot's ears. Coltsfoot growled as Bran's teeth ripped his already-ripped ears, and he was apt to lose control very soon.

Fortunately, he remembered Dog's-Tail's words…remembered he had a job to do, as his master's Captain and guard…and he remembered that his first litter of kittens was due anytime soon, and that he had to come home…_had_…to be able to see them when they came into this world. And this made him fight as clear-headed as he could, mouth foaming, but certainly in no fit of any sort.

He decided that he and Bran were far too close to each other. He could not risk using his claws. If he did, he had to stand up, exposing his neck, and he didn't want that to happen. So he used his teeth, biting as best as he could.

Ten minutes went on, and the two stopped, panting for breath, bleeding with a dozen minor wounds. They were equally matched. No one could win against the other. It was during this time that Fiber and the rest of Coltsfoot's officers decided they had had enough, and that they had more fights in front of them than this one. Upon some rabbit's encouragement, Fiber immediately rushed at Bran and grabbed the rabbit by the ear, tearing it in mere seconds.

Bran immediately turned around, risking his life during the process, but luckily, Coltsfoot had not thought of him doing this action and so was not prepared to do any attack. He limped across the tunnel until he was safely far away from them, then he turned around once more, his ear bleeding terribly, drooping across his face and washing it with blood.

"Hey!" he called out to the semi-surprised Owsla. "Nice fighting with you. I can't stay with plenty of you against me in this very crowded tunnel. Hope to battle with you again." Then, cussing quietly, he left.

Coltsfoot sat down, cleaning himself, panting with exhaustion. He suddenly realized that he did not want another battle with a rabbit like this ever again, contrary to what the rabbit himself said.

***

Cherry gave a deep breath and gave an angry look at two carrots that lay in front of him. He wasn't particularly hungry. Not with the turn of events during the past few hours. He'd been locked up in this burrow ever since the attack from the unknown rabbits had started, mostly because he'd been occupied into telling his rabbits what he wanted them to do, which aggravated him. He wanted some action!

The six-year-old rabbit stood up. He wasn't blind, and he wasn't weak, either, despite his age. Most rabbits would be dead by now, but he wasn't, and he told himself that he wasn't about to die in a few seasons yet. He'd been through so much in life, fought enemies, _elil_, diseases, and age itself, and he wasn't going to let a bunch of _embleer_ rabbits ruin all his work.

"Sir…"

He lifted his head, turning it to the entrance of the burrow. A lean rabbit was standing outside, nose wiggling apprehensively.

"Any news?" he asked, gruffly.

The rabbit gave a quick nod. "Yes sir. The enemies have been advancing every second. According to reports, very few have fallen. Most of our Owsla in the upper burrows have been extinguished."

Cherry quickly sprang up in rage. He cuffed the runner across the head, sending it sprawling against the outside run's wall. He advanced towards the rabbit and pinned it down.

"You're sure about this?" he hissed.

"Yes sir! Yes sir, very sure sir!" the runner quickly cried, getting nervous. Cherry wasn't a rabbit to be reckoned with. He would be praising you for one second, and killing you the next.

Cherry wanted to kill the runner, in fact, but there were more issues in mind. He dropped the half-squealing rabbit and sat down in the middle of the run, thinking. "How," he said, shaking his head. "How could they have done that? From reports, they aren't even a quarter of our Owsla! I'm pretty sure that you're mistaken!" He glared at the sulking runner.

"He ain't," came a reply. Cherry lifted his head and saw Betony hopping towards him, bleeding in several places. His Captain of the Owsla leaned against the wall, breathing rapidly. When he finally caught his breath, he sat down and continued, "He ain't mistaken. Those rabbits…they're well trained."

"How could you say that?" Cherry asked, confused. He had always won past attacks, including the one on Forest, using sheer numbers. If his Owsla was more than double than theirs, he knew he'd always win. But now…?

Betony gave a deep sigh. "First off, it's autumn, not very good flay. But really, those rabbits are good fighters." He shuddered. "I was checking out on one troop when a group of them attacked, which got me into the battle. I try to attack on one, another defends him." He shook his head, looking almost as confused as Cherry was. "I killed one of them, but that's all! Whatever fighting techniques they're using, they're pretty good." He snorted, thinking what he could not say out aloud to Cherry. _Our Owsla are just overweight pigs compared to them…I hate to admit it, but even though they're the top fighters in the warren, they still should have gotten some training… _

"You thinking something?" Cherry asked, noticing the sudden silence.

"No sir!" Betony quickly exclaimed, shaking his head. "Uh…no, I was just wondering…"

"That's the same as thinking," Cherry pointed out.

"Oh. Um…sir, I was wondering whether we should abandon the warren or not."

Cherry looked at him suspiciously. "Abandon? Why, you honestly think we'll lose? Think, lad! They might be dead before they reach the lower burrows!"

"Sir, that's might," Betony told him. He haven't seen his Chief under this much pressure before, and frankly, it made him more nervous than he was.

"Shut up, Betony," Cherry growled. If this was any other rabbit, Owsla or not, he would have killed him then and there, but since it was Betony, he couldn't. Owsla officers and Captains, higher-ranking and lesser, were easy to come by, but a good second in command isn't very easy.

"We'll go back to Quieflain," Betony told him, stamping a foot. "And then we can gather our Owsla and attack them from above. That'd kill them." Little did he know…

Cherry suddenly gave him a wry smile. "Why, that's…" he started. Then, he stood up. "Fine, I think that's good. Let's go. I think we can slip away from them."

***

Clover padded along the seemingly endless maze of tunnels that would lead them back outside. He was as sure as Betony that they wouldn't meet anyone, enemies or their Owsla otherwise, especially with all the dead rabbits littering the place. The enemies were far away from them, he knew.

He bent his head over one body, sniffing it without the customary disgust rabbits have when they do such things. Then, he looked at Betony. "I…" he started, then stopped, looking back at the body again. The rabbit's throat was slashed open, and that was it. It didn't have any other wounds. Like it didn't have time to fight at all.

The ironic thing is, he recognized this as one of the officers who had bravely slain more than the others during the assault they landed on Forest a year back.

He sighed, ignoring Betony's confused look at him. He leaped over a heap of more dead bodies, and then sat down, his brow furrowed, as if he was thinking about something that was worrying him a lot.

_Those attackers might as well have been the same ones we've been seeing back in Quieflain, _he thought, his eyes glaring down the ground although he sincerely wasn't even concentrating on it. _So if then…did they attack Quieflain too? _He shook his head fiercely. _No, that was impossible. They couldn't have a big enough army to destroy Quieflain…after all, it's bigger than this place can ever be. My Owsla has probably destroyed them already. Yet… _

He stopped, his ears perked up as he heard voices coming from another run. He froze, his nose quivering as he and Betony focused on the direction of the voice. Oh Frith, was this their doom…?

"I guess…the Chief's pretty hard to find, y'know. He's got this sneaking ability that could beat a _homba_ anytime. But we need to find him, if this attack is to go any further…"

Cherry waited. Then, he saw two rabbits coming up from the run, entering the one they were in. His blood boiled as he recognized one of them…one of the rabbits that gave up during the Forest raid. He didn't know the smaller, younger one, but he became angrier when he suddenly realized that the rabbit…

Was the spitting image of Primrose when he was younger.

The brown, almost black coat…the eyes…and the way he looked…

The two rabbits stopped talking and stared at them in shock. He would have stared too, but the young rabbit's resemblance to Primrose had stricken him, so that he knew he couldn't let this rabbit escape. He instantly leaped at the rabbit, pinning him down the ground with his weight as soon as he came into contact with him. The rabbit squealed, scratching the ground as he tried to escape Cherry, but realized that _that_ was impossible.

The other rabbit had fled, after Betony had cast him an angry look, yelling for help, but apparently failing. But the two Quieflain leaders had forgotten about him as they focused on the young rabbit, who had stopped struggling and was staring at Cherry with wide-open eyes, panting for breath.

"You," Cherry growled, placing a paw on the young buck's neck. "Who are you?"

"Timothy…" he answered, choking. "Ti…mo…thy…" he repeated, in case Cherry did not hear.

Cherry growled at him. "What's with the attack? Answer me, pathetic fool, before I decide your life around here has been too long!" He pressed his paw tighter.

His paws waving frantically in the air, Timothy managed to spurt out words even with the throbbing neck pain. "Will not…tell…"

With growing impatience, Cherry pressed his full weight against the young buck's neck, sending Timothy into a fit as his air supply was cut off. Then, Cherry lifted his other paw and opened his claws. He slashed.

"Cherry-rah," Betony suddenly said. Cherry placed his paw down and looked at Betony angrily, ignoring the whimpering buck under him, bleeding from the wound Cherry had inflicted.

"What is it?" he asked.

"We may use him to save defeat the enemy," Betony told him, eyeing the dying buck, no more than a kitten in his eyes. "Don't kill him yet."

Thinking that it made some sense, Cherry removed his paw from Timothy's neck and placed it on the ground. Timothy began breathing rapidly, his mouth open, dripping blood and vomit, his eyes white with fear. The wound on his chest was wide open, and the pain moved from there towards his entire body, so that he just lay there, his legs limp, refusing even to move.

"What do you have in mind?" Cherry asked.

Betony hopped beside Timothy. "If I'm correct, we may use this kitten to make them retreat, perhaps kill their Chief in the process."

"What are you implying?" Cherry asked again, unsure of what Betony was getting at.

Betony sighed. He was a smart rabbit and it was hard explaining some things to ordinary rabbits, especially his Chief, who wasn't very smart but always made it like he was. "That kitten," he said. "Was the _ hlessi_ who entered the warren a few days back."

"WHAT?" Cherry thundered, slamming Betony against the wall with a quick blow. "You let a stranger into the warren?" he roared. "What were you thinking? You think that was a wise idea? He's the enemy! Frith!"

"Wait," Betony groaned, pushing Cherry away from him. He wiped his nose. "He looked harmless enough. I had no idea he was part of them, not until I heard what he said earlier back down that burrow. Look, even if I hadn't let him in, they could have attacked us anyway. Use some logic."

At Cherry's glare, he suddenly regretted saying the last sentence. But Cherry didn't do anything. "Go on," the Chief said.

"So we might as well use him when we can. He's probably some important rabbit, if he wasn't, he should be fighting with the others." Betony scratched his neck, giving a deep yawn. "So we find their leader, and threaten to kill him if he doesn't surrender himself."

Cherry looked down at the very scared Timothy, lying across the ground on his side. No matter how he looked at it, the buck still looked like Primrose. The fact that a hole to _silf_ was just standing a few meters in front of them helped a good deal, since the light made him see Timothy better.

If he looked like Primrose…

Apparently, Cherry could still use logic if he wanted to. Perhaps…just _perhaps_…this buck was somehow related to Primrose…

And if their enemy's Chief was also related to Primrose…

"Grab that buck and let's find their Chief instead of going back to Quieflain," Cherry ordered him. "And let's get some officers. There should be a few of them that haven't been attacked yet. Oh, don't complain! He's light! You called him a kitten, for crying out loud!"

Mumbling, Betony grabbed Timothy by the nape of the neck and hauled him away.

Perhaps the odds weren't against them after all…


	46. Sacrifices

**46 – Sacrifices **

The cream-colored buck gave a wide grin as some of the resident rabbits gave in to attacking the officers his own troop was fighting. And with this added help, the won effortlessly, losing only a rabbit in the process. Now, he was licking himself clean from all the blood, watching the rabbits carefully. Frith, they looked terribly weak.

"So, you were from Forest before?" one rabbit asked, staring at the big Captain cautiously. Coltsfoot did not recognize him, and for good cause. The rabbit was younger than he and probably was born here in Quieflain.

He nodded, grinning. "Yeah. You a descendant?"

The rabbit nodded as he did. "Yup! In fact, there's my father now. He went after Witchhazel, who were trying to find your Chief, before when you came in. Hey father!"

He stood up, calling to a buck that just appeared at the unblocked entrance of the burrow areas. The buck hopped towards them and looked at Coltsfoot curiously. "Hey…Coltsfoot?" he asked, sniffing noses with the strangely colored, strange-eared rabbit.

"Avens?" Coltsfoot asked, sitting up and looking at the buck kitten he had known ever since he could remember. Avens was Avens' son, named after his father, and they had been both rivals and friends. The last Coltsfoot saw of him was the day before the attack, after he beat Avens in a scuffle.

"It's been a long time," Avens told him, sitting down. "You survived." He gave a slight snicker. "I always thought you'd be too tough to be destroyed by them that easily. Of course, I always beat you then, that's why I survived too."

Coltsfoot chuckled. "I beat you as much as you beat me, you know. And what did I say? I'm a Captain now!"

"Nah, you're probably not suited for the job," Avens said, jokingly. He looked over at the mouth of the run and sniffed. A rabbit was going towards them, and he remembered this one's scent.

"Isn't that Nightshade?" Avens asked.

Coltsfoot nodded. He hopped out of the burrow. "Hey Chief! We're over here!" he called.

"How's the attack going?" Ghost asked, sitting down in front of him and wiping his muzzle clean.

"We did well. Lost very few of my officers. By the way, we're almost done with our mission." Coltsfoot gave a wide grin. "These rabbits here are those you wanted to save. Forest rabbits."

Ghost looked around the burrows, his nose wiggling, his eyes seeking to look at their faces, even if he could not see much. He could remember the scent of a couple, but all in all he didn't know them.

But even then, he realized that this attack wasn't going to go to waste. The rabbits were weak and starving, he could tell that by their scent, and they might as well have been rotting away in some Frith-forsaken place some where. And they looked almost exactly like the residents he encountered earlier. But even then, these rabbits here had a lively, hopeful look in their faces. They knew they were going to be saved.

And for that they were glad.

Another rabbit suddenly arrived in the entrance, panting and almost out of breath. He bumped into a couple of bucks, groaned, then dragged himself over to where Ghost and Coltsfoot was. He looked at them for a couple of moments, then asked, "Nightshade-rah? You're the Chief, right?"

"Yes." Ghost answered. "Why?"

"Oh Frith," Witchhazel told him. "Your son Timothy…Cherry took him. I had no idea whether they killed him or not…they might have…"

Panic struck Ghost. He stared at Witchhazel, then asked, in a trembling voice that was very unlike him, "Where…are they?"

"They're probably going outside. I saw them in one entrance burrow."

The gray rabbit quickly dashed out of the run. Coltsfoot, who was just as alarmed, went after him, Agrimony, Fiber, and a couple more officers tagging along behind.

***

"Should I find the Chief now, Captain?" Betony asked. They were standing in the field, near the edge of the wood that surrounded Forest. Several tough-looking, scarred officers surrounded him, Cherry, and their prisoner in a tiny circle.

Cherry gave a deep sigh, his eyes glancing over at the shocked, unmoving Timothy. Several more gashes covered his body. After he had recovered from Cherry's attack, he had tried to escape, but ended up being beaten by the Owsla. So, like most sane rabbits, he had learned his lesson and was willing enough to stay still.

"I think you should," Cherry said, sitting up and peering over an Owsla's back. "I don't think…hey, what's that?"

He sniffed the air, then blinked. "Move aside, you…!" he yelled at the Owsla, who grunted and immediately hopped off Cherry's eyesight. With the officer gone, Cherry inspected the surroundings a little more…

And he saw what he had been looking for. A wry smile touched his lips as a strange gray rabbit appeared. By the rabbit's proud hop, and at the group of rabbits behind him, he could tell, like any sensible creature, that this was their Chief. As the rabbit came nearer, he recognized this as Nightshade. His rabbits had reported about him before they had attacked Forest before. Good…

"Stop," he called out loud, stepping forward and staring at the rabbit in the eyes. And what eyes they were! They were blue, glaring blue, and the moment he stared at them a slight feeling of apprehension came upon him. _Doom…doom…your doom… _The thought came to him all of a sudden. Stubbornly, he drove them away. He wasn't going to die! He had everything under control…

_Your doom! _

Ignoring the thoughts, he hopped another step. "I say, stop!" he repeated in a loud, thunderous voice. One officer from his own group cringed upon hearing him.

Ghost stopped and sat down a distance away from the huge, bulky Chief. From the corner of his left eye he could see Timothy lying down inside the circle of Owsla. He turned back to Cherry, then asked, "What is it you want with him?"

Cherry gave a wide smile. "I see he's important to you, huh, Nightshade?"

Oblivious of the other's grin, Ghost growled. "Let him go. This fight is between us."

"No," Cherry answered, baring his own teeth, his huge, rat-like incisors exposed. The setting rays' light made it sparkle yellow. "Surrender first, before I let him go. Withdraw all your armies. And surrender your life."

"Shall I…?" Coltsfoot growled, stepping forward. The fur on his back was standing on the end, and his eyes were smoldering with anger.

"Another step and he dies," Cherry warned, making Coltsfoot sit down and curse out loudly. He glanced at the big rabbit, giving him a glare before looking back at Ghost. "What is your decision?"

"Damn," Coltsfoot cursed. He stamped his foot.

Ghost sat down, perplexed, and showed it plainly for the first time in his life. He had not been expecting this. The whole attack had been planned, every single possible problem that they could think of drafted so well things should have gone smoothly. But in terms of rabbit logic, he hadn't expected this…

And then it flashed back, the things he'd done similar to this. He'd held that badger cub captive, its life in exchange for his. And during the time he met Bran… and he remembered when Bark had used Burnet in the same way.

He had went along then, unwilling to give up the annoying little rabbit. But it had been easy enough to overthrow Mushroom and his troops. Cherry, on the other hand…

"Don't!"

Timothy's voice rang through the air. He snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the buck, who was looking at him with his affectionate hazel-colored eyes, so much like his mother's.

He was unlike many rabbits, Ghost was. It is true that most rabbit fathers lacked any paternal instincts…and that they, having plenty of mates, sometimes could not remember who their children were. And in this way, they say that rabbit never felt any love for them…

But he was unlike them. He only had one mate. And unlike other rabbits, Ghost had raised Timothy to succeed him in time, and in that way had grown to care for him. Moreover, despite his cold attitude, when he loved, he loved…

And so he cringed as he heard Timothy say it out loud and clear. "Don't do it! You're the Chief, don't waste all of this for my sake!"

He shook his head. But how could he…? How could he do it? Bran did not!

His jaw trembled, his eyes glancing down the thin grass.

"I'm just one rabbit, remember?" Timothy wailed, even as an Owsla cuffed him to silence him. He staggered back, his head reeling from the blow, but he stood up again to look at the gray rabbit. "You told me that. The warren's more important than anything, even me!"

"I lied," Ghost answered, looking up at the shocked young buck. Scratching the ground, he continued, "It's not the whole warren. It's every rabbit's life. Every single one of them…" He looked at the amused, sneering Cherry. "Let him go."

"In exchange for your troops' withdrawal, and your life?" Cherry repeated, standing up.

"Yes," Ghost answered. "Let him go." 

Two of Cherry's officers nudged Timothy towards Coltsfoot and Ghost's Owsla, but refused to let him go.

Ghost turned to them. "Retreat Coltsfoot. Call them back to retreat. Save yourself and make sure Timothy's okay."

"But…" Coltsfoot stammered, unbelieving. He glared at the two Owsla that were holding Timothy back, one claw aimed at his neck, and gulped. "But…"

"And tell Willow," Ghost continued, looking away from them and making one hop. "Tell her that I'm sorry."

He looked at Cherry, then hopped towards him again, even as he heard Coltsfoot cry out in protest, even as he heard Timothy sobbing, his wailing sounding more like a lost kitten than anything else…

Cherry leaped at him, sending him down the ground. Ghost did not move a muscle. He laid there as Cherry pounced on him, claws extended, teeth bared, crying out his victory.

He cringed as Cherry's claws came slashing towards him.

_Willow… _

_Timothy… _

_The kittens… _

_This is it… _

And then he saw red…

***

Willow stood up from her burrow, her nostrils flaring. _Oh Frith, what did You just make me dream? Oh Frithrah, no…no… _

She hopped across the run, as if in a daze. She could not remember all the details of the dream she just had, but she could remember how horrible it was. Blood.

Someone she cared for was going to die.

_Frith… _

She stumbled against a rabbit. It was Corn, and her friend looked at her, concern brimming in her eyes. "Willow," she said carefully. "Are you okay?"

"Someone," Willow said, not looking at her. "Someone dear to me is going to die…"

"Willow, what are you talking about?" Corn asked, confused.

She looked at her and shook her head, her ears twitching. "Someone's going to die," she concluded pitifully. She collapsed down the run, trembling with fear.

***

He blinked, his eyes suddenly covered in blood. He looked up, to see what had happened, and suddenly, he felt more horrified than he had ever been in his entire life.

Autumn was in Cherry's claws.

He leaped up, rolling away from the huge rabbit, staring at him in shock as he flung the kitten away from him, cursing his fate. He saw that Coltsfoot had already attacked the guards, who had retracted their own claws away from Timothy's neck when they saw Cherry attacking Ghost. His Owsla against Cherry's clashed once more, squealing and crying as they bit and clawed at each other, blood spilling on the field as their claws sunk into flesh.

He forgot everything though, as he focused on the tiny body that lay in a corner, forgotten in the midst of the battle. He hurried to it, crying out her name, and bent over the tiny gray form, but Autumn would not answer. She was squealing, drenched in blood and flesh as she tried desperately to do something…anything…to remove the pain. From beyond the bushes stood Nightshade, horror-stricken, and Ulézenhyze, squealing like he was choking in a snare.

Ghost placed his nose over the mangled kitten.

"Dad…" she said, amidst her squealing.

Swallowing, Ghost grabbed her neck and crushed it, ending her pain then and there.

He dropped her and placed his nose against the tiny mass of fur, blood, and skin, all mashed up together. Cherry's claws had almost torn her in half. Had he not ended it all, she would have stayed alive for several more minutes, in pain.

"Autumn," he said, slowly. "You saved…me. Why?" His voice was shaking. Wailing. An echo of the grief in his heart. It had been wounded once before, and now, that wound was opening slowly. "Why did you…" he stammered, staring at her softly.

Her lips did not move. He knew he would no longer hear her sweet voice. Her eyes were dim…no longer would they twinkle as their bearer hopped around in the sunshine, screaming her happiness to the world, hugging his leg tightly as she was used to doing, telling him he was the best Chief she had ever met, regardless of whether she actually knew what was it about Chiefs that made them any good. Her whiskers were steady, no longer twitching, no longer seeking the world. Her ears would no longer hear the birds in the early morning, or the wind…

She was gone.

And it tore open that wound that had been closed on his heart for so long, grief that had been caused by his warren's destruction, his Chief and mother's deaths, his helplessness, his faithlessness to Frith…that wound which has caused so much pain slowly opened, and he growled, his eyes shut tight as he nuzzled the unmoving kitten, remembering the short times he had been with her, been her proud father. Rabbits don't have much paternal love, because if they did, the pain of kittens' deaths, which happens so often, would be much more. But because he did, because his kittens meant much to him, Autumn's death battered him up worse than ever.

Then, his eyes snapped open. They did not hold the same cold glare he so often held in them. No, now, they were smoldering with anger, almost red. He turned his head and so Cherry scooting away for his own life, and he glared. Cherry. He had to avenge them all. It was all Cherry…

In a fit of mad rage, he tore after him, his mouth frothing.


	47. Brother, My Brother

**35 – Brother, My Brother **

Ghost ventured into a hole that Cherry had disappeared into. The tunnel was bigger than usual, but not big enough to make Ghost notice it. All that mattered to him now was ripping out Cherry's heart…

Just like the rabbit had done to his.

Heart. He had no idea he could convey emotion like this. Had to be all Willow's fault. He could chuckle right now, but he couldn't, not after he saw what had happened to the tiny, frail kitten that he had so lovingly watched over for the past weeks.

It was so unfair. Why her? He had been ready to die. And he had lived a long life, with him approaching his second year. Why a several-week old kitten like her?

He froze, his heart thumping wildly against his chest as he saw a rabbit hop towards him. A rabbit with a limping hop.

He could not be mistaken. It was Bran. 

"Let me through," Ghost said, loudly enough so that it almost echoed through the tunnels, although it did not, for some vague reason or another. He shook himself, fur flying loose. "I don't want to fight you!"

"My Chief just went through this run," Bran told him, spreading his front legs so that he blocked the entire tunnel with his own body. "And you, as one of his enemies, are not allowed to go through here without a fight."

"I don't have the time to fight you," Ghost reasoned, stamping his foot in impatience, snorting out hot air from his flaring nostrils.

"And I don't have time to reason with you!" the spotted rabbit growled. He threw himself at Ghost, and both rabbits slashed at each other, teeth and claws flaring.

Ghost knew he could not fight like this. His strength lied in the fact that he sneaked on his enemy, attacking them swiftly, decisively, and almost silently. In a real rabbit fight, against a very-able and heavy Owsla like Bran, he would not last a minute. Bran would soon use his weight to his own advantage and he would die before he fulfilled his mission.

He kicked, twice. At his first attempt, it missed Bran, but at the second, it hit the buck straight at the neck, sending Bran staggering against the earthen wall. He squealed as he saw several strips of wound from where Ghost had kicked him, and looked at the rabbit, murder in his eyes.

"Stay back. I'll pass without fighting you," Ghost tried once more.

Bran growled at him, his eyes flaring. "Why are you so afraid of fighting me?" he yelled. He swooped down, one paw aiming at Ghost's legs, but Ghost hopped over him, avoiding the attack.

Upon seeing that Ghost could escape him at any second, he leaped at Ghost again, tearing open the gray rabbit's unprotected shoulder. Ghost cuffed Bran harshly against the cheek, then he scooted off to the hole entrance, panting.

"Are you avoiding me?" Bran growled.

Ghost nodded quickly. "Yes," he told him, his shoulder throbbing pain as the blood dripped down, matting his right side and making his gray fur darker than it already was.

"Why?" Bran asked, confused.

"You looked after Willow and Timothy when they were lost," Ghost told him truthfully.

"That all?" he asked.

"That, and that you're my brother."

Bran stared at Ghost for a couple of seconds, before he burst out laughing, making Ghost look at him curiously, for laughter was something that was almost unknown to rabbits. "You?" Bran asked, calming himself down. "My brother? Now where did you learn _hraka_ like that?"

"From you," said Ghost, wiping his nose.

"I bloody did not!" Bran growled, unbelieving. What did Ghost think? That he'd let him pass after he said his little _hraka_-filled lies?

"Primrose was your grandfather," Ghost said, calmly. "And you could have been killed, had not someone saved you. Primrose was my grandfather. My litter except me had been killed, or so I thought, according to tradition." He gazed at Bran.

When Bran had finished chuckling, he looked at Ghost. "You were that rabbit then? The chosen one? Don't make me laugh!"

"You already had…" 

"Aw, shut up."

"Bran…"

"What?"

"Let me pass. I have no energy to kill you, not after my kitten has been killed by your worthless Chief." Ghost glared at him.

"He is worthless, you're right," Bran said, sitting up, his face becoming serious. "But I guess you have no other choice if you want to go after him."

Ghost nodded, realizing that Bran was right. There was nothing else he could do. If he wanted to go after Cherry and kill him as soon as possible, he had to destroy Bran first. And as much as he didn't want that, he had no other choice. He sped towards the rabbit, his body low to the ground.

Bran pounced on him and tore at his back, even as Ghost, disregarding the damage done to him, went for his shoulder. Both squealed, suddenly kicking, claws flailing around. Ghost finally slid away from him again. He was now nearly covered with blood, so that he was dark crimson in color.

Nevertheless, Bran was also badly wounded. Both rabbits stared at each other, panting and dripping blood. Ghost suddenly decided he could not let this last any longer. Cherry was drifting further and further away every second, and he wasn't going to let him escape. Not now. Not ever.

Even as his back and shoulder throbbed, the pain searing his whole body, he leaped towards Bran, hoping that he had left his neck exposed, and hoping he had not. He opened his jaws.

Bran saw this. He stood up on his hind legs, knowing that his weight was superior to Ghost's, and that he could easily overthrow him and send him down the ground.

The gray rabbit came into contact with him, and he started to bear his weight down towards Ghost. But that was not to be, for Primrose had been right all along.

A lame rabbit was no good a fighter.

And the disability that had shunned him from the position as heir was what took him to his end as he came crashing down. He could not use his weight properly on one hind leg alone. He came down, exposing his throat, chest, and belly, and with that Ghost wasted no time.

His jaws locked into his brother's neck, and he bit down, his eyes closed as he unwillingly stripped the flesh off. Bran spluttered and coughed.

He opened his eyes and looked at him, his gaze softened. "I'm…sorry…" he muttered. He had hurt that one rabbit he was supposed to thank, for taking care of his family when he could not, his own brother, and he knew that Bran was going to die.

"I fight for my Chief," Bran muttered, his eyes flickering. "Just as you fight for your warren. He…he may be worthless…and I can't exactly say he'd done…anything that had helped us at all…but he's my Chief." He gave a wheezing breath, his mouth suddenly dripping blood. He forced himself to look up at Ghost. "Timothy. Take care of the lad will you, huh? I…saw him earlier…I think you did very well…" He coughed. "When I first…saw him…he was a week old…after I found Willow in a small…scrape while I was…on patrol alone…I thought he was a good…lad…"

"He was," Ghost answered, his ears drooping down. "I thank you for that."

Bran smiled weakly. "He'll be…a good…Chief." His head suddenly dropped down to his side. "I see the black rabbit, Ghost…he's coming for me…they were wrong…he isn't scary, or cold…see? He only comes for those who must go…and look, he's smiling…warmly…"

Bran's breathing stopped.

"Good bye, my brother," Ghost said quietly before turning away and limping down the run, his nose following the trail that Cherry had laid.

Cherry, you are so dead.


	48. The War Endeth

**36 – The War Endeth **

Dog's-Tail looked at the remaining rabbit of his enemy's Owsla angrily. "You were a good officer, Pinecone," he said in a voice of mixed emotions. "Why did you betray us?"

Pinecone stared at him and at his troop, and shook his head, shuddering. "I did not betray you," he said, looking up.

"You left the warren," Dog's-Tail told him, sitting in front of him, his brows furrowed. "Then you joined Cherry."

"I only left the warren in order to save one of the kittens," Pinecone replied, shaking his head.

Dog's-Tail looked at him in surprise. "What kitten?"

"From the heir's litter." Pinecone answered. He licked his wounded shoulder.

"That's forbidden!" Dog's-Tail exclaimed in surprise. "You should have been killed because of that!"

"I only saved what was mine!" Pinecone retorted angrily. He cuffed the soil, wishing it was Dog's-Tail, though of course he had no other choice but to remain still. The officers were still their and he wasn't about to take his chances with them.

"What do you mean, yours?" Dog's-Tail mused, more perplexed than before. "You mean you're their father?"

"No, no!" Pinecone growled, shaking his head. "Idiot! They could have been my kittens, if it isn't for _their_ biological father."

"I don't understand."

"Elil-hain. Remember her?"

Dog's-Tail nodded, curious as to what Pinecone had to say. "Yes. She's Nightshade-rah's _marli_. But why?"

"Before you were Captain of the Owsla," Pinecone told him, rubbing his nose with anger, his whiskers twitching nervously. "Before that, Elil-hain was my doe."

Dog's-Tail stared in shock. "You mean…?"

"Of course, since Oak was _royalty_," Pinecone said with a hint of sarcasm. "He could take anything he wanted, and he took a fancy at her."

"But you had another doe!"

"Oh, for Frith's sake! I only met that lass after he took her away," Pinecone growled. He glared at he other officers, who were now watching their conversation with amusement, and hissed at them. A few turned away to look at something else, although he could see their ears still twitching as they listened. Rabbits…

"But…I still don't understand."

"Didn't you notice that Elil-hain was the most beautiful doe in the warren? And I was very fond of her. So that when she bore Oak's litter, I thought of them as my own. You had no idea how much it hurt for me to take them away from the warren, along with Witchhazel, in order to kill them." Pinecone looked away and stared at the ground, although of course he couldn't really see it clearly, not in the dark. "The two others were dead, but the other was alive. He was the lame one. I couldn't take him back to the warren. They were bound to know…after all, he was spotted, and only Primrose's blood had this kind of thing in them."

"Because Sedge was a hutch rabbit," Dog's-Tail added. "Yeah."

"The nearest warren was Quieflain. I took him there and raised him as an officer." Pinecone looked at Dog's-Tail carefully. "You still call me a traitor?"

"You disregarded a law…an important law at that, to boot." Dog's-Tail said. "And I saw you on the assault on Forest." He remembered that time when he saw Pinecone fighting alongside the enemy, slashing at his Owsla. He still hadn't gotten over the shock he had felt back then.

Pinecone gave a deep sigh. "I had no other choice."

"It was your warren."

"Not anymore, then. You respected Oak, don't you? You respected all of them. But Oak had not been a good heir. If you hadn't noticed, he abused his authority. It was a good thing he died."

"He killed himself, because he caught the White Blindness. How could he had not been a good heir?" Dog's-Tail stared at Pinecone with his yellow eyes.

Pinecone stood up. He had made up his mind to attack again, even if he died. He shouldn't give up…for Elil-hain's sake…

"He didn't kill himself," Pinecone said. "He had the White Blindness but he hadn't killed himself. I killed him. He had a throat-slash. I killed him and threw his body in the water so no one would suspect."

He threw himself at Dog's-Tail.

And Dog's-Tail would forever regret that day, when he killed an officer…one of his own officers. It was the only blood he drew that he wished he never had.

***

Cherry looked in horror as a blood-soaked rabbit leaped into the burrow he had just entered. Ghost. He stood up, ready to attack as the rabbit looked at him with fuming blue eyes.

"You just killed my kitten, Cherry," Ghost growled angrily. "And you destroyed Forest."

"I did not destroy Forest. I merely destroyed the rabbits in it…invaded it, you might say," Cherry told him as he realized that Ghost was weak. He could kill him easily now. Just one right stroke…

He hopped about in front of Ghost, waiting for an opening to attack.

"You killed plenty of rabbits," Ghost said, his eyes blazing. "Through your rabbits, you killed plenty of mine."

"And did you not do the same, on this day?" Cherry asked, pausing. He looked at Ghost and tilted his head.

"I had a cause."

"Dear lad, you bloody think that that makes you any more worthy than I am?" Cherry mused.

"No," Ghost answered. He shifted his weight slightly to the left as weariness from his battle with Bran started to overtake him. "It only makes me more determined to take over this place." His eyes were drooping, but he flew at Cherry anyway, prepared to die if need be.

His jaws latched on tightly at Cherry's shoulder, having missed the attempt upon the rabbit's throat. He could hardly feel Cherry's blows at him, for all the pain in his previous wounds had blinded him, and so had all his anger, and now he did not care what happened to him. All he cared about was killing this rabbit that had been the cause of all his troubles…

He dropped down, scooting off to a corner, his body in a crouching manner. "Your rabbits murdered Forest's that day. Innocent and Owsla rabbits alike."

"I had them do that," Cherry answered as he lumbered towards Ghost. "Because I wanted to prove to Primrose that I was a better Chief than he. Bearberry chose him over me, but it was a wrong decision."

"He was a better Chief than you could ever be," Ghost hissed.

"No he wasn't, and you know that," Cherry answered. "I had spies on this place. He was not a kind Chief. He's killed plenty of _hlessi_, killed plenty of rabbits."

"He only killed the _hlessi_ that were a threat," Ghost answered back. "But he was never as tyrannical as you are. He never let the rabbits suffer."

"And where was he when we attacked?"

"He was dead."

Ghost went for Cherry again, but this time, Cherry was not to be outdone. He lifted a paw and aimed a heavy cuff at Ghost, hitting him straight across the cheek and sending him slamming against the burrow wall. Loose dirt fell on top of him as Ghost struggled to get up.

But he found Cherry pinning him down. His eyes flickered, weakness overtaking him. He tried to kick Cherry's belly, but his body would not cooperate. He laid still, limp. He could feel Cherry's jaws inching to his neck, could feel the heavy rabbit's hot breath against his skin.

And then, he saw Cherry flying off, being hit by another rabbit. A lighter-colored rabbit. He managed to sniff even with his nose caked in blood, and realized it was Coltsfoot.

There were cursing and grunts, and he had no idea who was winning or not, especially with his dimming senses. But then, he felt Coltsfoot's nose touch his extended fore paw.

"You alive, Chief?" his faithful Owsla captain, guard, and friend asked.

"Still," Ghost grunted, his eyes flickering.

"It's all over." Coltsfoot answered.

"Yes."

"We won."

Ghost was not sure, but he had no time to ponder that, for he had slowly succumbed to unconsciousness.


	49. In The Thunderstorm

**49 – In The Thunderstorm **

Ghost sat down the field, groggy and dirty with mud and blood that still caked his fur. It was already evening, although the Inlé was not yet visible. As he sat there, flicking an ear slowly, he saw a group of rabbits coming towards them. It was a fairly small group of rabbits, no more than fifteen if he could count them, but they were there. Three larger figures were with them.

When the rabbits were nearer, he saw Bark approaching him. His Captain of the Owsla sniffed noses with him, and he was too weak to argue.

"We won the battle," Bark told him, but his voice was sad. "And we lost plenty of rabbits in the process."

"From Primrose-rah?" Ghost asked.

"Poppy," Bark answered. "Just him, from our warren, but it was a huge lost." He glanced at Zen, who had been quiet during the whole journey.

Rufus marched up towards Ghost and stared at him. "I thought it fun, at first," he said in a gentle voice. "You trick me, don't you have?"

"Yes," Ghost said, knowing it a bit too late to say no.

Rufus panted, his lips spread out in that jowly grin dogs gave when they were glad of something, his drool dripping down his huge, red lips. "I no angry. My friends like fun, but it was no fun." He pointed at a wound on his neck. "One rabbit attack me. Plenty more. I not had died if it not plenty rabbits, but it plenty, but they save me."

"That's why we lost a lot," Bark broke in, looking at Ghost wearily. "We didn't want anything to happen to him, so I dispatched troops to attack the rabbits that attacked him, but it was an unexpected thing. We were attacked while we were doing it."

"Thanks the day," Rufus said, standing up. He grinned widely again, his brown eyes shining yellow in the dark. Ghost stared at them, a bit apprehensive of the unusual shine, but when they were gone all he saw was Rufus' sincere heart that most dogs have. And he realized that even though elil kill them every chance they get…they have feelings, too.

"We see each other someday," Rufus called as he and the two fox terriers left the field, to go on back home and call the day off. "And remember that from now on, you got a friend in me."

***

"Where are you going?" Timothy asked in a very somnolent voice. Nightshade was rubbing against his legs. The kitten had just finished wailing from his sister's eminent death, although he hadn't recovered from the shock just yet. Ghost glanced at the tiny, innocent kitten, then gave him a tiny lick on the head.

"Just somewhere," Ghost said, walking across the run. He suddenly cringed as thunder rumbled out from outside, and stopped, heart pounding.

"Oh shoots, it's going to rain," Timothy mumbled, looking down at Nightshade, oblivious at his father's sudden fear. "You sure you don't want to cancel us getting out of here tonight? We could all use some rest."

Ghost shook his head. "Rest for a couple of hours perhaps, but not the whole night. We need to get back to Primrose-rah quickly to bring the news. Clover will want to see Quieflain soon." He looked up at the dripping roof, aware that the rain was finally falling. Perhaps the rain could wash away the blood that had spilt earlier that day. Perhaps.

He shuddered as the evident sound of thunder arrived again. Shaking his head, he continued down the run, leaving Timothy to comfort Nightshade once more.

He passed by a couple of runs blocked with dead rabbits. He looked at them for some time, recognizing a couple that had been from his allies. Had they wasted their life? Was this battle worthless?

He saw a tiny movement near a carcass, and he looked at it, curious. A tiny, scraggly kitten was romping around the mass of bodies. It was so thin its ribs showed through its skin, but its eyes otherwise were bright with newfound energy. The kitten noticed him and looked at him, smiling widely.

A doe arrived from another run. Like the kitten, she was thin, and her ears drooped down to her side. She gently reached out and grabbed the kitten by the neck, drawing it close to her, before bowing down in front of Ghost to say, "I am sorry to bother you, my lord. He just wanted to inspect the fight that happened earlier. Please forgive us."

"S'okay," Ghost told her. "It's all over."

The doe smiled at him. Then, she limped away into the darkness, leaving Ghost wondering. Had it all been in vain, the war? Or was it for a good cause?

He had doubts, but he thought, perhaps, it was worth it. That kitten, that doe…they were most likely Quieflain residents that had almost no idea what was going on, that had just wanted to live their lives peacefully. "_Vair hraka, silflay,_" Ghost muttered quietly. It was what he heard an officer back when they were preparing for a war said. That, the officer had said, was all there is to in life, and yet it was a good life, he had added, meticulously.

He heard another distant rumble. It was very faint now, that he was deeper underground, but he still wasn't very keen on hearing it. He continued on hopping, to nowhere in particular at first, until finally, he realized his feet were taking him on the familiar route he had taken many a time in the past.

He stopped, just outside Primrose's burrow. It was deserted. It was ruined now, with the secret trail leading outside fully visible. The burrow itself looked far from a burrow, with the dirt scrambled all across the place, and mud forming a tiny shallow in a corner.

Nevertheless, he entered, gazing up the run that had saved him and Coltsfoot seasons ago, when he had escaped. His ears drooped down. He had run away from his responsibilities, hadn't he? It was all too painful for him to accept. He, who had been raised to take his duties seriously.

Thunder once more was heard, although louder this time, with the open run and all. He sniffed the cold, muggy air, smelling of rain and dead rabbit, then he stood up and began digging the dirt in the burrow towards the run. In no time, he managed to block it, patting the wall he made with his hind legs.

The burrow was still a mess, but so was he, with all the caked blood on him, so that he didn't particularly care when he lied down, thinking of past times…

More than a year ago, he was in this burrow, and it was on a same, rainy night…

_The rain poured freely, wetting the thick, heavy grass of spring. The month-old rabbit poked his head out of a hole, sniffing it. He hadn't experienced rain before. Although this was not the first time it had rained since he was born, it was the first time he had seen it himself, and lived to enjoy it. _

_A tiny droplet dropped onto his nose, making him wince. The water was very cold, and he rubbed a tiny paw against it. Another drop of rainwater went onto his head, trickling down his cheek. He shivered, then shook himself. He stood up on his hind legs, suddenly finding himself looking up the sky, as he had never done before, it being something not naturally done. And he saw water pouring down on him, and he shook himself again, blinking water out of his eyes. _

_Then, when he was about to investigate this so-called 'rain' further, he heard something crack through the air. He squealed, having had no idea what it was, and in the instinctive manner that all rabbits do when they were afraid, he bolted down the hole, speeding across the tunnel, bumping into unknown rabbits that otherwise knew him. _

_He stopped, panting, as a huge, heavy buck approached him. Primrose looked at him in his usual serious expression, and asked, "What's wrong?" _

_He sat down, his back hunched up, as he answered his grandfather's question with honesty. "It was…that big, rumbling noise!" _

_Primrose made a snorting sound. "It was only a big rumbling noise. They call it thunder." _

_"Will it kill us?" _

_The heavy rabbit sighed and turned back to his burrow. "Get back to your _marli_, Nightshade. You've got lots to do tomorrow." _

_Nightshade nodded, giving a deep, sad sigh as he turned away. He hadn't even hopped a meter before a loud, crackling noise sounded. He yelped, squealing loudly as he heard a crash. _

_He shot towards Primrose's burrow, oblivious of everything around him as he snuggled into the huge rabbit. _

_"Nightshade!" Primrose yelled, loudly. He cuffed the sobbing kitten twice across the head, but Nightshade refused to move. "It was just thunder! You're safe underground!" _

_Another loud crackle, and an Owsla appeared at the burrow entrance. "Sir!" he said loudly, looking at Primrose apprehensively. "Sir, a tree just crashed outside. It blocked one of the holes." _

_"Let it be," Primrose growled, sending the rabbit off his way. It wasn't going to hurt them. He looked back at Nightshade and cuffed the kitten once more, while saying, "Damn it, stop acting like a coward." _

_Nightshade did not listen to him. Rather, he curled up, his front paws covering his head. Primrose looked at him, slightly irritated, then sighed. Perhaps this time, he'll let this one pass. After all, a kitten was only a kitten once. He crouched down beside Nightshade and placed a paw across him. _

_Nightshade opened one eye and saw Primrose sleeping, the paw blanketing him surprisingly light. He gave a slight smile, then hugged the huge paw tightly with his own tiny ones, and suddenly, he was oblivious to all the thunder, all the rain, for all that was important was that he was safe, here, with his grandfather and Chief. _

It had been more than a year, but Ghost could still remember that incident. Primrose had been the gruffest rabbit he had ever known, but he had a warm heart, all the same. He sniffled, wiping his nose with both of his paws. He missed those days…he missed Primrose, and his mother, and he missed the old Forest.

"Father?"

It was Timothy. The young rabbit was looking through the burrow now, his face looking incredibly like Primrose's, minus the hazel eyes. Ghost blinked, realizing the fact only now, until finally, he managed to mutter out, "What is it?"

"I tracked you down by scent. It's raining but we'll be leaving now," Timothy told him.

"How's…Nightshade?" Ghost asked, limping out of the burrow.

Timothy sighed. "He's still sad, but he'll get over it, sooner or later. Come on, sir. We'll be home soon."

Home. When Ghost stepped out of Forest, and looked at the dark field for a long time, he realized that it was no longer his home. It had been. But now, his home was in Primrose-rah. Back there. To his mate, to the warren who had appeared just when he was giving up hope in living a good, solid life.

He bent over a wet, soggy body, laid down a few inches from a hole. Timothy looked at him and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Your _marli_ would want to know," Ghost told him. He picked what remained of Autumn in his jaws, the dead, stiff kitten hanging down limply. Timothy was very confused at first, but he shrugged, letting his father do as he will. He went to the front of the departing group of rabbits. Only half of the surviving Owsla were going back, in the meantime. The other half, with Dog's-Tail and Bark, where staying to watch over the rabbits, both in Forest and Quieflain, until things could be settled in both warrens.

Ghost limped a bit behind the group, his heart heavy even despite their victory. They have won over a warren with two separate territories, but they have lost plenty of rabbits in the process.

It was only then that he realized that in war, no one really wins…only one who loses less.


	50. War Wounds: Homecoming

**PART 4 – PARTING CHAPTERS** 50 – War Wounds: Homecoming 

"You think they're okay, Clover-rah?" Willow asked. She looked at the old rabbit anxiously. It was early in the morning, and although Frith had already risen, the air was still cold, perhaps remnants of the past day that she knew nothing of. The meek, young doe looked at the dried leaves, dancing around her feet as the cold wind blew against her. Her fur ruffled as it passed by, and she sniffed it. 

For a moment, she blinked, studying the wind's scent carefully, and then she realized that it brought a message to her. The wind was a messenger to most, a pathway filled with smells of the things it had passed by, and for those who had the ability to read it, and it was an indispensable tool. And so Willow knew what the wind brought her. She stood up, her heart thumping wildly against her chest, her ears laid flat against her head as she saw the army of rabbits, fewer than there was when they left, descend down the crater, weary, but alive. 

She saw Timothy first, a tired Nightshade trudging behind him. She rushed up to them joyously, her whiskers quivering as she touched them, smelling them, to see whether it was really them or not. And her nose proved her right. She licked Nightshade, hugging the half-stunned kitten with both paws. "Oh Frith," she muttered. "Don't ever leave me like that again!" 

Nightshade shook his head, trembling. "No…" he whispered. 

"Where's Autumn?" Willow suddenly asked, noticing the absence of the gray kitten. She looked around, hoping she had somehow missed seeing her, but she saw nothing. She looked at Timothy questioningly, and her older son shrugged. 

"I…" Timothy stammered, finding no words to give to her. He sat down, thinking, but he realized he did not need to, for he saw Ghost hopping towards them, the bundle he had been carrying since last night still clinging to his jaws. 

Timothy grabbed Nightshade and headed into the nearest hole while Willow watched Ghost, her eyes wide with fear as the buck lowered his head and dropped the half-mangled body in front of her. 

Ghost looked at her, and wished he hadn't brought this here. Oh Frith, he wished he wasn't causing her pain…but he had no other choice. Willow had every right to know, and every right to prove that knowledge. He looked away from her. 

"How…?" he heard Willow ask. He turned back, cringing slightly as he saw her nuzzling the dead kitten, a silent wail emitting from her throat, a mother's cry for her lost children. He knew that all the pain he felt could not possibly compare with hers, and for this he hung his head down, his ears drooping to his side. 

"She saved me," he said, his jaw trembling. "From Cherry's attack." 

"My dream," Willow said sadly. Ghost looked at her in a curious manner. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "I dreamt someone was going to die. Someone…" 

"Autumn," Ghost told her. 

Willow shook her head. "No…" 

She crouched down for some time, thinking, mourning in the quiet manner rabbits do. Then, she grabbed Autumn and hopped to a far corner near the sides of the crater, placing her gently there. Then, she hopped back to Ghost and nuzzled him sadly. "Her life was not wasted then," she said quietly, closing her eyes as she cherished her mate's presence. 

"I'm not so sure," Ghost told her, nuzzling her back. 

"Cheer up, lad," Clover said, breaking in. He hopped near to Ghost. "You'll have plenty of kittens," he said, repeating the phrase he had told Bark when the rabbit had lost his family. 

Ghost shook his head, surprising Clover. "I may have plenty of kittens, but each one is special. You have plenty of children, Clover, so perhaps this is one thing you may never understand." 

For all his wisdom and age, Clover was dumbfounded at his words. He looked to his side, watching Fiber sitting down beside Coltsfoot, licking his muzzle clean. Then he turned to the other, where Burnet was yelling at some rabbit he did not recognize, for some reason or another. And he sighed. "You're right," he muttered. Then, he raised his head. "We've won, haven't we?" 

Ghost gave him a quick nod. 

"Then we'll discuss the Owsla-thing, and leadership-thing, and all those thingies…" Clover scratched his head, perplexed. "Anyway, we'll talk later. Rest first. You look awful." He meant it as a good-humored joke, actually, perhaps to lighten the load on Ghost's back that he could see very well. He hopped away to chase after Burnet, who was annoying everybody with his antics. 

"He's right," Willow said, hopping towards the nearest hole. She looked back at him and smiled. "I've heard Burnet spurt out this story about Elahrairah and the Fox. I thought that you and the kittens would appreciate it." 

Ghost blinked. Burnet didn't tell anyone he could tell a story, did he? He sighed, following Willow underground. Perhaps he did. Well, he'll pay for that later on, probably from some cuffing in part of Bark when he returns. 

For now, he should rest, nurse his wounds, inner and outer. The outer would heal fast, but the grief inside of him would last for a long time. But he was willing to wait. After all, he was home, and probably right then and there, that was all that mattered. 


	51. Elahrairah's Legacy

**51 – Elahrairah's Legacy **

Clover-rah brought in plenty of his Owsla back to Quieflain, where the rabbits had enthusiastically accepted the warm-hearted Chief, so unlike their previous ruler, Cherry-rah. Like the others before him, Clover had been surprised at the rabbits' weak states, and right then had decided that he'd do the best he could to revive the warren back into a happy place, "Not a paradise, but it'll be better than before," he said, earning him great trust among the Quieflain residents.

Ghost was sitting down near the stream, watching the fish and the water move by quickly. He hadn't healed fully yet, and his mane was still far from its usual sheen, but he looked okay. His heart was still grieving for Autumn's sacrifice, but like a rabbit, he wasn't apt to grieve for long, accepting things as they were. He watched as a stray leaf fell onto the stream and was carried across the current…

"So, what are your plans for Forest?" he heard a voice. He looked around and saw Dog's-Tail coming towards him. The cheerful Captain sat down beside him. He was more scarred than before, his ragged ear hanging down his side limply. But other than that, nothing had changed with him.

"I'm not going back there, that's for sure," Ghost told him, looking back at the stream. He shrugged. "Call Onion, will you?"

"Sure," Dog's-Tail said. He relayed the message to some unsuspecting officer, an Inléthlay buck who had thought Primrose-rah more beautiful than any of the four warrens within his choosing, and he quickly galloped off. Later, he returned, with Onion behind him.

The buck hopped over to the two Captains and tilted his head forward. "What is it, great leaders?" he asked in his usual polite manner.

"Don't call us that, you'll be one very soon," Ghost told him.

Onion opened his eyes and blinked. Then, he sat down, perplexed. "What…do you mean?"

"You'll be working in Forest from now on. Sort of like their Chief," Ghost told him.

Onion blinked again. He was dreaming, wasn't he? Yes, he _ was_ dreaming. He stepped on one foot, quite harshly, and realized he wasn't. "Why…?" he managed to blurt out, still puzzled.

Dog's-Tail chuckled heartily, shoving Onion towards the water in a playful manner. Onion landed on the shallow stream and groaned. "But why?" he asked, disregarding his wet, soggy state.

"You're the right one for the job, that's why!" Dog's-Tail told him. "Obviously." He looked at Ghost's direction and grinned widely.

"Of course, you'll still be under Primrose-rah's command," Ghost pointed out. He wasn't about to let his home warren be freely ruled by someone else, not after all the trouble he had been to just to save its remaining rabbits. "But yes, pretty much, you'll be their Chief."

"No way!" Onion exclaimed.

"Oh fine, we'll give the job to, say, Burnet," Dog's-Tail said out loud. He snickered.

"Don't trick me, sir," Onion said in a dejected tone. He leaped out of the water, shaking the drops off his coat. Then, he bowed down in front of Ghost. "It is an honor to be given this position, sir."

"Can you believe it?" Witchhazel suddenly blurted in. The three rabbits turned and saw him sitting on his rump a few meters from them, grinning from ear to ear. Coltsfoot was sitting beside him, yawning. "He gets promoted to almost the same level as you, Coltsfoot!" He poked Coltsfoot with a paw. "That's what you get for being a bad Captain! Bad Captain!"

"Shut up," Coltsfoot growled, sending Witchhazel flying against the hill with a paw. He slammed against the grass.

"Ouch, I think I smashed my jaw," Witchhazel commented before he came tumbling down, lying on his back. He grinned widely at the four high-ranking rabbits looking at him. Since he came back from the torture that he had endured under Quieflain, he had been more like himself.

Ghost shrugged, used to such demented antics such as this ever since the rabbits came into his life. He looked at Onion again. "Well, you'll be leaving for Forest on the morrow with a few Owsla."

Onion nodded. He touched noses with Ghost, who didn't bother to withdraw, because he always expected this sort of formality with Onion around. Then, Onion leaped off to find Ulézenhyze to share the news with him.

***

It was a peaceful day, several weeks prior to winter. Ghost was sitting all alone, accompanied only by his thoughts. Onion had left for Forest, and had reported, through Ebony, that the rabbits had accepted him with utmost warmth. Things had been going on well there ever since then. Ulézenhyze, Onion's first son, had refused to come with him, despite frantic persuasion. He argued that he wanted to stay in Primrose-rah, where he was born. Also, he had added that he would never overcome the trauma of Autumn's death in the warren.

Clover, too, was having a pretty easy time with Quieflain, now dubbed Inléthlay, from its Chief's other warren. He had sent plenty of his rabbits there, and several does to Primrose-rah as well.

Things were going smoothly.

And for the first time in a long while, Ghost could breath freely.

He saw a rabbit approaching him, and he flicked his ears, sitting up straight. It was Fern, and he was surprised. He waited as she crouched down in front of him, her ears drooping to her sides.

"Sir," the doe said. "I ask for your forgiveness."

"For what?" Ghost asked.

"For all the trouble I had previously caused," Fern told him. She shook her head. "It was not right of me."

"Go on," Ghost told her. "Run and romp across the grass. I hold no anger against you. A Chief has no right to do that, for long."

Fern's ears stood up and she smiled at him. "Thank you, sir."

Ghost nodded. "And Fern," he called to her, as she started to walk away. "Keep your spirit. I haven't seen you in your normal state ever since summer. Rabbits may hate you, but don't mind them. It's your spirit that makes you special."

Fern nodded. She sped across the grass, suddenly feeling alive for the first time in a long while. She overtook Basil, who was eating something, and the rabbit went after the fleeting doe, although he couldn't even keep up with his weight and all.

_Well, it looks like a perfectly normal warren, _ Ghost thought. He flicked his ears as he heard a squealing. Turning his head, he saw Fern chasing after a very angry Burnet, and could not help but give a tiny chuckle at this. _Does Elahrairah have to deal with these everyday problems? _

"Think, think, think, think," he heard Timothy say from behind him. He turned his head and looked at the young rabbit curiously. "Last time I did that, my head almost exploded." His heir grinned widely at him. "Are you going to spend your entire life pondering?"

Ghost shrugged, sensing the humor in the young rabbit's tone. Timothy suddenly pounced on him, batting his paws against his father's fore legs. Ghost grunted and removed them from the kitten's reach…obviously, even at his age, Timothy was only a kitten. "I have no time for games," he hissed.

Timothy gave him a wide smile. "Yeah, cause you're getting old," he replied. He knocked Ghost off his side and stood looked down on him. "Aren't ya?"

Ghost scrambled to his feet and growled, although he refused to answer.

"Aren't ya?" Timothy repeated. He turned around, spotting Coltsfoot, who happened to walk past by. "Right, Coltsfoot?"

"About what?" Coltsfoot asked, hopping towards them. He looked at the two curiously.

"He's getting old!" Timothy sneered. "The Chief!"

Ghost grunted, and Coltsfoot avoided all eye contact. "Well…" Coltsfoot stammered, thinking of what he could say.

"Well what?" Ghost suddenly asked, stamping his foot.

Coltsfoot shrugged. "Uh…" he muttered. "Well…" he repeated.

"So I'm old, right?" Ghost asked, lifting his brows.

Coltsfoot looked at him and smiled.

"Yes you are!" Timothy broke in. He landed on top of Ghost's back and knocked him over again. Ghost angrily batted Timothy away. His hind legs flung Timothy off him.

The dark colored rabbit landed a few meters away, just as Nightshade was coming towards him. The kitten, mostly recovered from his grief at his sister's death, but not fully, laughed out loud and tussled Timothy there. Timothy mock-squealed as his brother wrestled with him, yelling, "He's going to kill me! Hey you two, dreaded fighters of the warren! Care to help?"

When neither of the two budged, he groaned and saw Burnet hopping near them. Suddenly seeing an opportunity for a prank, and for vengeance on giving him very lame reasons when he was a spy, he ran towards Burnet, flinging the unsuspecting rabbit towards Coltsfoot's direction.

"Eep!" Burnet squealed as Coltsfoot glared at him. "Abuse! It's all I get! Why, why me?"

Coltsfoot grinned and ran after him, knocking Burnet to his side. He could avoid no opportunity to pick on the small buck. Burnet rolled along the grass, his eyes shut tight as he banged against the nearby tree, his fur scraping against the sharp bark. Leaves fell on him, but that wasn't the end of it, for Nightshade, Timothy, and Coltsfoot were already hopping towards him, ready to use him as a chew toy. He screamed his annoyance.

"Is Burnet causing trouble again?" asked Bark, who had appeared from a hole. He was particularly serious when it comes to his job of making sure the warren was peaceful, and Burnet was the main 'suspect' that disrupted the peace.

Ghost was about to say 'no' when suddenly, out of nowhere, a malicious thought came to mind, for the first time, and he shrugged, saying, "Yes."

As he expected, Bark rushed towards the tussling scene, and he grinned as they romped around, particularly chasing after Burnet.

_Eat, sleep, and run across the fields…that is a rabbit's life, _he thought.

***

"What are you looking at?" Corn asked, hopping towards Willow. 

"Look," Willow told her, her nose pointed towards the bucks' direction. Ghost was being tussled by Timothy and Nightshade alike, while Burnet screamed around them, being chased by the two Captains who particularly enjoyed the exercise the crazy rabbit provided them.

"I see bucks play-fighting," Corn told her, looking at Willow, half-amused, half-puzzled. "Why?" 

"I see Ghost," Willow told her, smiling. He suddenly looked up at her at that moment, and their eyes locked again. And he smiled at her as well, his eyes bright, and it was the first time she had seen him like this. 

"And what about him?" asked Corn, rubbing a paw across one ear. She did not understand. 

"Corn, don't you see?" the doe replied, her eyes dancing with joy. She lifted her ears. "He's finally become like a rabbit." 


	52. Epilogue

** EPILOGUE ** A gray rabbit was crouching down against a tree, alone, looking over at a huge hill that stood a distance away from him, and at the tiny specks of brown that romped across its lush, green surface. 

He sighed, exhaling all the air out of his chest. Things have been peaceful for the past few years. Rabbits went, and rabbits came, just like Frith meant it to be, and for him, that was enough. It was enough rewards for all the trouble he went through, for this place. 

And he was glad for that. 

He scratched his ear, just like he used to do when he could think of nothing else to do, or when he was thinking of something to do. He stopped, wincing from the pain that suddenly jerked through his body. He crouched back down, his ears folded back as he sighed. He wasn't getting any younger, that was a fact. Moving was now a chore, and his eyesight wasn't the same like before. In fact, just last day, he could not distinguish between two sentries that he himself had trained for the past two years. 

He rubbed his right eye with a paw, tracing the scar across it. How long, had it been, since he had this scar? He could not count how much. It had been _hrair_ years, but he could still remember it… 

The blinding pain as the hawk slashed through it, leaving him scarred for life. 

And he remembered how the hawk had taken Primrose in its talons, taking away the one rabbit that had taught him almost everything he knew. 

He quietly smiled. Primrose's death…his warren's destruction. Whenever he thought of his grandfather, he thought of Forest. The large field surrounded by the deep, dense woods that had been his home since he was born until he was four months old. And he sighed, once more. 

Forest's destruction had been the start of everything. His journeys across the woods and fields, until finally, he came upon Clover's warren, where he met the four rabbits that would change his life forever. 

Four rabbits, that eventually grew, little by little, until he had a warren to watch over once more…a warren to guard, and giving him once more a reason, a reason to live. 

Because being a Chief was all he ever was. 

And he when he thought about it, he realized that it wasn't so bad after all. 

He stopped, ears perked up, as he saw a brown figure nimbly hop towards him. This made him give another smile. He had never smiled this much before, and it surprised him. But he smiled anyway, widely, for he recognized the rabbit even with his failing sight. 

He could never forget her, even if Frith struck him blind. For he knew how she smelt, and he knew the exact way she walked across the ground, for he had heard it a million times before and had cherished it to an extent. 

Her. 

During his whole life, he had been cold, almost to the point of having no emotion. No, he _had_ emotion. But this was locked behind his soul, and the only one that had ever managed to unlock it was she. 

He knew it. He knew it the moment she first gazed into his blue eyes with her own hazel ones, stirring up all sorts of emotions within him. And with that he had realized how much she had come to understand him, more so than any other rabbit he had come across. 

He was thankful to Frith. Thankful that he had found her…thankful that he, among all rabbits, was the one chosen to have found her. He didn't deserve it. He knew…he didn't…but he was thankful, all the more… 

So now he smiled as she settled down beside him, her ears gently folded flat. Frith, she still looked so beautiful. Even though the years have aged her down, she had been and will always be the only doe that he would ever consider beautiful. Rabbits are by nature, polygamous, and he might as well have been the only one who hadn't had more than one doe. But he didn't care. She was too beautiful to be replaced by another one…he loved her too much… 

"You have a great warren, you know," she said, breaking the silence. 

Her voice was lovely… 

He could just stay here and listen to it all day long. Ignoring her last statement, he pressed his muzzle against her cheek and gave her a tiny, tentative lick. Withdrawing his head, he said in a calmer, softer voice than she was used to hearing him say, "Thank you." 

"For what?" she asked, giving him a confused look. 

_For everything. For bearing me a wonderful heir, and plenty of beautiful children. For being there for me…for being my companion, my other half. For being you…_

He kept this all inside. Rather, he looked straight at her, and even though his eyesight was weak, his eyes still glowed brightly with all that his heart sought to say, but could not say because he wasn't used to speaking with words. And yet, she understood. 

Like she always had, she understood. 

_To you, to Timothy, to the rabbits that had given their lives for me…thank you._

And when he was sure of this…when he was sure she knew how much she meant to him, how much he was glad she was here with him, he leaned against the tree, lying on his side, his eyes closed. 

She knotted her eyebrows as she saw what he was doing. 

She sat up, afraid, and called out his name, but he did not answer. 

Ever so softly, she placed her head on his chest as she listened to his heart pounding, pounding against her ears. 

She remembered that night. That night before he left for the battle against Quieflain. That was the first time she had done this…listened to his heartbeat. His heartbeat had soothed all her fears then, its every pound giving her less worry… 

It did the same now. All her worries, all her fears…they were all drowned in the rhythmic pounding of his heart. 

She was so drawn to it, so drawn to her mate's heartbeat, that it took her some time to notice how it was waning. Slowly, bit by bit. Fear gripped her. She closed her eyes, cherishing every single beat… 

There was a loud thud. Then, she heard no more. 

She lifted her head and called out his name once more, thinking that she had made a mistake, thinking that she might have suddenly grown deaf, but he did not stir. He did not stir even as she placed a paw on top of him and shook him, cuffed him, gently at first, and then harshly. 

He would not stir. 

She looked at the hill. The hill that was Primrose-rah, and their home, and saw the little brown specks that dotted the green grass hopping around. She smiled, and repeated the phrase she had just said a moment ago, when he could still hear her. 

"You have a great warren, you know." 

There was a slight movement, near the bushes. This caught fully caught the old doe's attention. She turned towards it, her ears shooting straight up. 

She saw two rabbit shadows. A black rabbit, and a gray rabbit, and both were hopping across the grass. 

"Wait!" she cried, sitting up in alarm. "Please, wait!" she called out again, unsure of whether they could hear her, or whether they could keep on going, leaving her like this. 

They stopped, their ears perked up as they looked at her. 

She smiled faintly, as she looked at Primrose-rah again. "A great warren, my Chief, and only you could have made it," she said, softly, almost under her breath. Then, she placed her head on her mate's still body and closed her eyes. 

*** 

The dark rabbit was old. He was not really very old, but he was old enough not to be considered young. His dark, brown eyes were full of wisdom. In his youth he had been reckless, but now all this recklessness has subsided, leaving a full-fledged, mature rabbit in its path. 

So now he stopped, sniffing the air. Panic struck him as his brain interpreted the message, so that he stopped for a moment, unsure of what to do. After a while of pondering, he decided to move on. 

He sat again as he stared at the now-fully visible mass of gray and brown fur. He sighed, his eyes soft as he stared at it, his heart slowly drowning in sorrow. 

Rabbits do not cry. Like most animals, they do not have the ability to spurt out tears to show how much they are suffering. Tears are mostly human. But that doesn't mean that rabbits do not feel sadness. 

No, they do feel it. Rabbits and all other animals that Frith created feel sadness… 

And the rabbit now felt it to a full extent as he sat there, thinking. He had been expecting something like this to happen during the last few moons, but he never expected it today. Life had been so long…and yet, it seemed only yesterday when he curled against his mother's side, her smell, warmth, and presence drowning his senses and making him feel safe and sound. And it seemed only yesterday, when he was fooling around while his quiet, ever-patient father taught him all the things he needed to know…all the things he still remembered… 

It seemed only yesterday, yet it had been so long…very long… 

He jerked his head up as he saw a rabbit step towards him uneasily. "Sir, is everything alright?" the rabbit asked, his eyes dancing with nervousness. 

He shook his head at the young Owsla trainee. "Come," he said, gently, glancing upon the two bodies that lay there, for the last time. "My father sends his goodbyes." 

*** 

The wind blew. 

The wind blew across the fields, sending every blade of grass bowing in its presence. 

And it blew across two rabbits, lying side by side, and as it blew across them, several tufts of fur, a few gray, and few brown, went along with it, making small, light dances in the air as they intertwined together… 

_"Rabbit com' n' rabbit go, dat's life."_

_ ~ Poppy_


	53. Author's Notes Warning: Boring Stuff

To the readers of The Ghost Rabbit,

Hi. The long, albeit tedious story you have read is a revised edition, so I thought I should as well place a revised ranting section. This is, of course, done in order to celebrate The Ghost Rabbit's second anniversary of its coming into the world wide web...so really, you're not required to read this. ^^;;

The concept of Chronicles of a Rah began mainly with a short, one-page history I wrote for my RP character, 'Ghost'. It was the whole Forest tragedy gig, though without the characters. After sometime, I decided that the RPG I was in was a little too boring especially with Ghost as my persona, so I extended his adventures from his departure from the Hanging Garden Warren (which really did happen in almost exactly the way it did in the story, except of course, he didn't go on his own, he just ended up in the Meadow Grove Warren and then got stuck in a dead RPG).

Hmmm...with that intro done, let's see what I can do to amuse you...hmmm, I can't juggle...but I *can* tell you the rest of the horrifying facts behind Chronicles of a Rah I: The Confusing Medley of Short Rabbity Adventures and a Plot That Didn't Exist Until The End. I mean, The Ghost Rabbit. Oops.

1. First off, Timothy was not supposed to be named 'Timothy'. He was supposed to be named 'Juniper', since the nickname 'Juni' sounded so cute in my head. When writing the story, I accidentally forgot 'Juniper' and put 'Timothy' down instead, from that type of hay. When I remembered, I had already grown attached to the new name...

2. Dog's-Tail was never intended to be in the story anymore than just a minor character. But he would invariably appear in most, if not all, of any upcoming Chronicles of a Rah stories, and you know why? His name. I like dogs.

* Dog's-Tail will be the longest-lived rabbit to ever be mentioned in the stories.

3. Ghost was my RP character for less than a year. The true RP character that I have had for almost two years and that I can identify with more is his brother, Bran, which I introduced into the Hanging Garden Warren (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hanginggardenwarrenii) after Ghost left. The club's kinda dead now, but you could see Bran's alternate life...he doesn't die there. 

4. Cherry and Primrose, two of the fiercer, more powerful Chiefs to be known in the area, have girly names if viewed through human eyes.

5. Captain Betony was named Poison-tree for half of the story's writing. I didn't realize it until I was uploading already. This shows how much of a scatter-brain I am.

6. The Ghost Rabbit is a blatant rip-off of elements in Watership Down. I think you probably realized that by now. It was a quick ventilation of the stories in my head. That was why it only took 5 months to write, in contrast to Autumn's Legacy, or Auburn Leaves of Autumn, which is taking me more than two years.

Well, here ends my ranting, basically. I know The Ghost Rabbit was an amateur attempt, but I thank all the kind, nice, wonderful, amazing, good people that reviewed it for over the past two years, and anyone who's going to review it in the future, or basically anyone who ever remotely liked the story. For someone currently getting a 'B' in English, this is the best thing that ever happened to me... *weeps* . I hope you'd stick around to read Autumn's Legacy, and hopefully the third book of Chronicles of a Rah, if I ever got around to writing it...

Sincerely,

S. Okami

Ghostlyrabbit to my RPers

"Oh--surrrrrre you could have handled the pfeffa allllll on your own. Sure, Mr.-Captain-rabbit-sir."

~Bran from The Hanging Garden


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